Walk held to highlight early detection of breast cancer

Several breast cancer survivors joined the event to raise awareness

ABBOTTABAD:

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy (INOR) in Abbottabad organised an awareness walk and a ceremony to aware the public regarding the crucial significance of early detection and prompt treatment of breast cancer.

Following the nationwide tradition of celebrating October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, doctors, students, and Pink Ribbon, a prominent breast cancer awareness organisation, collaborated to orchestrate the event. The activities kicked off with an awareness walk, culminating in a formal ceremony held at INOR.

On the occasion, all tests for diagnosing this disease were offered free of charge, marking a significant step in healthcare outreach. During the ceremony, guest speakers, including renowned cancer expert Dr Nasim Begum and INOR Director Dr Masood Riaz, expressed their views about early intervention and the role of timely diagnosis in preventing breast cancer. The overarching goal of this breast cancer awareness campaign is to advocate for regular screenings, ultimately lowering the mortality rate among women affected by this modern disease.

Also read: Need for early breast cancer diagnosis urged

Breast cancer, which is responsible for approximately 40,000 annual deaths and nearly 100,000 new cases, can be effectively combated through early detection and timely medical attention. In line with this mission, INOR director announced that cancer screenings, including mammography, sonography, and ultrasound biopsy tests, were provided free of charge in October.

Screening, often the first crucial step towards combating this disease, holds the potential to save countless lives. The event witnessed the participation of numerous women who have battled breast cancer and are now leading healthy lives thanks to prompt medical intervention.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2023.