October is observed as World Breast Cancer Awareness Month, globally. In connection with that Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research (SRIOR) and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital launched Digital Awareness Activities and announced the inauguration of Free Consultation & Mammogram for this month. The launch of the case and the free mammogram consultation was held on 1.10.2019 in Sri Ramakrishna Hospital Auditorium.
In order to spread the awareness of breast cancer to a wider spectrum of people, the hospital has come up with a novel concept that includes positive use of smartphones and smartphone-cases.
” We have come up with the concept of unique self-phone cases that contains awareness message and the inside of the case houses a QR code, which once scanned using a QR scanner app will give a wealth of information and awareness about breast cancer including links to animated website, awareness helpline, awareness videos, e-books and short films on breast cancer awareness.
We have made cases for 66 popular selling mobiles of reputed brands. Other groups can join Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and SRIOR to propagate the awareness throughout the country. We don’t charge any fee for these cases. Interested people can send their details to breastcancersrior@gmail.com and we’ll make arrangements to deliver the case”, said Dr.P.Guhan, Director, Medical Oncologist, SRIOR.
“This is the 16th year we are doing such an awareness program. We started in 2003 and we made use of different forms of printed mediums like posters, t-shirts, pamphlets. We alerted the public through NSS activities.
In 2013, we were the first institute in the country to bring awareness about breast cancer through Digital medium. Since then it has become a challenge for me and everyone to come up with something new every year.
When we do such awareness, people ask us it is needed and all sorts of other questions. The incidences of breast cancer in younger women aged between 20 to 30 years has increased to 4 to 8%, for women in 30s to 40s, the increase is among 7 to 8% and there is a 28% increase in women above 40 to 50 years. People with breast cancer are mostly in their young age, and awareness about this is much needed today.
In the West, the awareness about breast cancer is high and the medical fraternity is able to diagnose breast cancer in stage 1 and stage 2, while they are able to cure 80% of the affected.
Unfortunately in India the awareness is very low and they come in stage 3 and stage 4, making it difficult to save. The number of cases is increasing while the awareness is low. To make the knowledge about breast cancer available for all, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and SRIOR have been continuously taking up such measures every year. We need the participation of everyone to make the awareness reach everyone”, said Dr.P.Guhan.
Mobile cases for almost all smartphones are available and the hospital only wants the bearers to be ambassadors of breast cancer awareness.