We all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness regarding the disease.
We all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness regarding the disease. Pakistan has the highest rate of Female breast cancer in Asia. One out of nine Pakistani women is likely to suffer from breast cancer at some point in life. Approximately 90000 cases of breast cancer are reported every year in Pakistan and about 40000 women die from this deadly ailment. 90% women have a chance of surviving breast cancer with early diagnosis.
The good news is that Pink Ribbon Pakistan is taking numerous initiatives this year to spread awareness. Keeping this in mind Pink Ribbon Campaign in collaboration of Scotmann & SunnyD illuminated the famous Centaurus Mall, Islamabad in pink for three days to draw attention to the early detection of breast cancer and in solidarity of the survivors. The Pink Illumination is in accordance with international support for ‘Pinktober’, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which has seen famous monuments such as Empire State, White House, Eifel Tower and Sydney Opera House also turning pink in October. Pink Ribbon illuminated historic buildings like Pakistan Monument, Wapda House and Liberty Roundabout in the previous years.
The three day campaign was also inaugurated at the mall to educate people on the prevention of Breast Cancer, alongside fundraising for Pakistan’s first Dedicated Breast Cancer Hospital. The 3-day activity included: Doctor’s Booth, Tree of Hope, Wall of Courage, Nail Arts Station, Pink Selfie Booth, Pink Ribbon Merchandise Stalls, Dissemination of Awareness Material and much more. Pink Ribbon aimed to reach out to over 100,000 residents of Islamabad and the surrounding areas during three days.
According to Chief Executive Pink Ribbon Omer Aftab, the campaign aimed to create widespread awareness while bringing it in mainstream to urge policy makers to take up this issue as priority. “Breast Cancer claims over 40,000 lives every year; yet there is lack of medical facilities for this disease. To cater the need of medical services for Breast Cancer, Pink Ribbon is setting up Pakistan’s first dedicated Breast Cancer hospital, and the campaign needs ever more support to build this hospital to ensure that none of us will have to bear the horror of losing a mother, a sister, a wife or a daughter,” he shared.
“With this campaign, we wanted to make women aware of a range of signs and symptoms, and to educate them to take Vitamin D3 for Breast Cancer Prevention and to encourage them to speak to a GP without delay and hesitation if they notice anything,” informed Scotmann.
Surely this is a good initiative by Pink Ribbon to spread awareness regarding Breast Cancer and we hope that this will carry on in the future as well.
