HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 21: Furthering its mission to raise awareness about the benefits of early detection for breast cancer, Tata Trusts on Thursday introduced, ‘Gaanth Pe Dhyaan’, an innovative initiative through a unique event hosted at Dibrugarh Cancer Centre, a unit of Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF)- a joint initiative of the government of Assam and Tata Trusts. A part of the larger ‘Kaise Ka Cancer’ campaign, ‘Gaanth Pe Dhyaan’ aims to build awareness, encourage open conversations, and drive community action towards breast cancer by using the metaphor of ‘lumps in food’ and emphasizing the importance of breast self-examination amongst women.
Breast cancer disproportionately affects women in India, with over 50 percent[1] of breast cancer cases in the country being diagnosed in the late stages. This delay in diagnosis and treatment comes from a lack of awareness and can be fatal, if not detected early. Tata Trusts is dedicated to turning the tide on the issue by engaging with women to educate them on the importance of early detection using a simple and innovative metaphor.
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Cooking a meal for their families forms an integral part of most women’s daily lives. Drawing inspiration from the meticulous care women put into cooking, especially in order to prevent the formation of lumps in their food, the ‘Gaanth Pe Dhyaan’ campaign draws a parallel, urging women to apply the same diligence to their health and self-examine their breasts regularly for any signs of a “gaanth” (lump), which could potentially be cancerous.
Continuing its journey across the nation, ‘Gaanth pe Dhyaan’ saw its fourth edition conducted in Dibrugarh on Thursday in partnership with MasterChef Season 7 Runner-up, Chef Santa Sarmah. This follows its successful launch in Ranchi, in October, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a second leg at Tata Medical Center, Kolkata in early December, and its third edition at SVICCAR, Tirupati last week.
Captivating an audience, predominantly of women from local communities, with an interactive culinary demonstration at the event, Chef Santa Sarmah prepared the local favourite Narakhinha Soup, which helped to maintain relatability with the audience. Demonstrating a preparation of this soup, she discussed how lumps in food preparation can ruin the taste and texture of a dish and highlighted that they are equally undesirable in the breast. This metaphor forms the central pillar of the ‘Gaanth Pe Dhyaan’ initiative, encouraging women to give their bodies the same care and attention through breast self-examination, as they give to the meals that they cook. Energised by the event and the simple message, over 150 women registered for breast Cancer screening at the Dibrugarh Cancer Care facility.
Speaking at the event, Dr Nabajyoti Choudhury, Medical Director & Unit Head, Dibrugarh Cancer Centre, said, “The North-East of India has the highest incidence of cancer in the country, contributing significantly to India’s cancer burden. Even though breast cancer can be easily detected, its late diagnosis continues to remain a leading cause of mortality amongst women. ‘Gaanth Pe Dhyaan’, therefore, seeks to bring about behaviour change through screening by addressing a key barrier – fear. This initiative urges women to proactively take charge of their breast health through thorough monthly self-breast examinations, followed by regular clinical screening as a key step in early detection of breast cancer – one that can save lives.”
