Awareness session on breast cancer held

Pink Ribbon Campaign, the CMH Lahore Medical College and the Institute of Dentistry organised an awareness session on Breast Cancer for medical students and doctors at the CMH Lahore Medical College here on Wednesday. Objective of the session was to raise awareness and also give an opportunity to medical students and doctors to share their experiences and case studies about the fatal disease.
While addressing on the occasion, Pink Ribbon Campaign Chief Executive Omer Aftab said, "There is a dire need to provide women with diagnostic facilities as early detection of breast cancer increases the chances of survival up to 90 percent." He added that unfortunately the cases of breast cancer are increasing alarmingly among young girls also in Pakistan. He also thanked administration of CMH Lahore Medical College for their support.
Head of Department of Community Medicine Professor Doctor Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry said, "Women in developing countries like Pakistan tend to die at greater rates than women in developed countries because the disease is generally detected when it is in advanced stages."
Assistant Professor Lady Wellington Hospital Dr Lubna explained the causes and effects of breast cancer and particularly highlighted the effect of Vitamin D levels on incidence of the disease. Major Dr Zeshan Ahmed Alvi, Clinical Oncologist CMH Lahore also highlighted the risk factor of breast cancer.
According to survey breast cancer claims nearly 40,000 lives every year. There is a lack of medical facility for its diagnosis and treatment. To fill the gap, Pink Ribbon has started its fundraising campaign for the construction of Pakistan's first dedicated Breast Cancer Hospital in Lahore. The campaign aims at to save thousands of lives every year by providing women with the state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment facilities. The hospital will offer free diagnostic services to needy women. Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia with every 9th woman at high risk of getting this deadly disease. Nearly 40,000 women die of breast cancer in Pakistan every year as its prevalence is the highest amongst all the cancers in Pakistan.