Page 7 - NGO (No.4)

PINK RIBBON
uing to educate women on the issues of breast
health care and the evidence based facts that
‘Early Detection Can Save Your Lives’.
Changing the world might have to be a long term
aspiration, but making a difference is something
that all of us can achieve, be it within our own
community, or further a field; whether as a politi-
cian, community leader, an NGO or a physician,
like me. Advocacy starts at a local level, and it
is a tremendous strength that we can count so
many different languages, nationalities, cultures
and traditions among our advocates. But we all
changes that have occurred recently, appear agree on the issue that needs to be addressed
different from your past observations, you should i.e. we need to unite to insist on access to state of
have your breasts checked by a doctor. the art breast services for all women in Malaysia.

Breast health is today a vital part of It is important to point out that the goal of screen-
the total physical and emotional well ing for breast cancer is not to detect all breast
being of any woman, young and old alike. abnormalities; the goal is to prevent early deaths
from breast cancer. At present, women above the
Learning and trying to understand the age of 50 are recognized by the Ministry of Health
physical aspects, skin care and the and are invited for breast cancer screening every
presence or absence of breast lesion year. But breast cancer is not confined to that age
are important parts of breast care. group.

The mission of the PinkRibbonR2R, initiated as Of course, if a woman has doubts, and her doctor
feels that she needs a test in an age group other
part of Reach to Recovery 2009 project, is to than 50-70, then she will be given a screening.
ensure, through corporate and individual partner- But I believe the age group should be broadened
ship, empowerment and information, to support for all women and not just for those who suspect
Breast Cancer Survivors so that no one faces or are anxious they may have the illness.
breast cancer alone or uninformed, whilst contin-
uing to educate women on the issues of breast
health care and the evidence based facts that
‘Early Detection Can Save Your Lives’.

OUR CAUSE IS THE FIGHT AGAINST
BREAST CANCER.
One in nine women suffer from this illness at
some point in their lives and every year, some
13,000 women die from it in the UK, that is about
1000 a month, 40000 per year in the USA and
1500 in Malaysia i.e. averaging 125 Malaysian
women / month.

Indeed, it is the most common form of cancer Internationally, the automatic screening period is
in women, and it is the leading cause of cancer from the age 40 -75. The upper age should be
deaths for women aged 34 to 54. Earlier detec- increased as women are now living longer and
tion and better treatments have definitely im- healthier lives than before. And the age should be
proved mortality rates, but there is clearly much lower on the basis that women younger than 50
more to be done.
in Asian Countries also suffer from breast cancer.
The mission of the PinkRibbonR2R, initiated as The point is also clearly made by the recent high
profile case of Kylie Minogue having the illness at
part of Reach to Recovery 2009 project, is to the early age of 37.
ensure, through corporate and individual partner-
ship, empowerment and information, to support Prevention is always better than cure. Some
Breast Cancer Survivors so that no one faces preventive strategies…..we know we can adapt,
breast cancer alone or uninformed, whilst contin-

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NGO