Perception on breast cancer has evolved: Mahira Khan

The involvement of celebrities improves outreach and creates a strong comfort level, she says

KARACHI: There has been a sea change in attitudes among college girls regarding breast cancer, actor Mahira Khan tells The Express Tribune over the telephone on Sunday.

Over the past three years, she has been affiliated with the breast cancer awareness programme organised by Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Research Centre (SKMCH). Mahira visits government colleges to ramp up discussion and debate on the issue.

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“We have been teaching college girls self-examination techniques to detect lumps on their breasts,” she says. “At first, they would either squirm or giggle when we spoke about such matters.”

However, Mahira firmly believes perceptions have changed over time and this is evident through the questions they ask during these sessions.

“Recently, a girl from a government college in Islamabad asked me why men were not attending these sessions so they can also gain awareness about breast cancer,” she says.

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According to Mahira, awareness drives have yet to be planned for rural areas of Pakistan.

“We have to start somewhere to create a ripple effect,” she explains. “Whenever we meet college students or a group of women at the luncheons planned by SKMCH, we encourage them to spread the word to others who don’t have access to information about breast cancer.”

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Mahira says she was initially reluctant to align herself with a venture that would use her public image as a linchpin to drum up support for a cause.

“But I soon realised that the involvement of celebrities improves outreach,” she explains. “During awareness sessions, I am asked to speak after doctors and experts as it creates a strong comfort level and helps engage audiences.”