‘120 die of breast cancer daily in Punjab’

Kiran Butt

LAHORE NUMBER of breast cancer patients is increasing in the world. This disease can be cured in the first and second stage. Women of 40 and above age should get their mammography test once a year because every day 120 women are dying due to breast cancer in Punjab. These views were presented by the speakers at a seminar organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS), Jang Group of Newspapers and Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre. The topic of the seminar was “Importance of mammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer”. Dr Shehryar said, “I am very thankful to the Novartis Oncology for providing anticancer medicine at cheaper rates at Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre. After being diagnosed with cancer most patients go into a state of depression. Due to an immense ratio of increment, this disease would be the main cause of death in the coming 10 years. And by 2028, there will be a cancer patient in every second house. Every year 353,216 patients are diagnosed with cancer. And 80 percent of them do not get proper treatment. Even in Punjab, 424 patients are dying every day due to not getting treatment for cancer. A total of 44,000 women are being diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Every day 120 women are dying of breast cancer in Punjab. There are 18 teaching hospitals in Punjab and not a single one is attending cancer patients.” Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre has started the service of mammography free-of-cost. And we already completed 100 free camps all over Pakistan. We have detected 82 cases of breast cancer. Prof Majeed Chaudhry said, “This is a huge mission for us and we need you all to support us for this purpose. Cancer Care Hospital is a huge project and we want to facilitate all the needy and deserving patients. Punjab doesn’t have a single breast cancer hospital. We are doing our part to help the people, you should also participate in this.” Dr Muhammad Fayyaz said the main cause of this disease to grow fast is lack of awareness. Only 20 percent patients inherit this disease. Dr Areesha Zaman said Cancer Care Hospital has 400 beds. This hospital will give treatment to the breast cancer patients free-of-cost. The first block of this hospital has 120 beds. MKRMS chairman and host of the seminar Wasif Nagi said, “I feel very honoured in the presence of such people who are working for humanity.” Dr Mehmood Shaukat said, “There is a serious lack of organic food in our daily life. Education and health should be the priority of our government. Awareness campaign should be run all over Pakistan about cancer.” Javaid Iqbal said, “When a patient is being diagnosed with cancer, the whole family goes through trauma. But no one can understand the pain of the patient.” Dr Hammad Raza said, “All over the world the cancer is diagnosed on stage one but we have to upgrade our diagnosis procedures. Mostly people do not feel any pain in the beginning of this disease.” Dr Shafique said, “We all have to contribute to this hospital in completing this project.”