Ashakiranam Cancer Care Campaign launched the Pink Resource Center in Ernakulam to mark the observation of Breast Cancer month in Kerala. Welfare Services Ernakulam, the local partner of Caritas India in the Ernakulam- Angamaly Arch Diocese launched this unique Pink Resource Centre in their campus for the public community.

Every year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed in October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Caritas India started a campaign “Awareness Starts With You” to increase the awareness of Breast Cancer to educate people about methods of prevention and early detection. The number of breast cancer cases has raising at an alarming rate across the globe.

“Most of the women in Kerala shy away to conduct self-examination for signs of breast cancer,” says a study conducted in Kerala of 3,041women in the age group of 18-60 years across 14 districts by Caritas India. The study revealed that 46% of women never conducted self-examination for any sign of breast cancer, whereas about 41% reported that they have never checked themselves.

One of the most common cancer cancers in women breast can be treated successfully if detected at an early stage. As per International Agency for Research on Cancer, a total of 1.78 lakh new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in India in 2020 which was 26.3% of all cancer cases diagnosed in women in the country making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer in India.

Caritas India started the campaign with the theme, “Join us as we RISE together to help uplift women in need” to raise awareness about breast cancer and support women to reduce their breast cancer risks.

The Pink Resource Center mainly focuses on spreading awareness to the public related to cancer and conducting early detection camps, mammogram camps with the support of hospitals, tele counselling, telemedicine, free hair wig donation programs, financial support programs for the poor cancer patients, palliative care facilities and the conducting cancer survivors meetups.

Fr Ancil Maippan, Assistant Director of Welfare Services Ernakulam after the inauguration shared the importance of breast cancer awareness in our day to day life. He informed that early detection of breast cancer has a 98% of recovery rate and a 27% recovery rate for the advanced stage. Ms Siby Paulose, Anandhu Shajy, Jees Paul, and Ashakiranam Resource Team Members and volunteers were part of the inauguration function.

Ashakiranam Cancer Care Campaign has been supporting cancer patients in Kerala to promote preventive approaches to health disasters. It is implemented through 31 Diocesan Social Service Societies at the grassroots level in 14 districts of Kerala. The objective is to increase awareness about cancer, symptoms, prevention method and increase accessibility and availability of cancer care services in the targeted communities.

The Campaign envisages increasing the awareness level of communities through preparedness for cancer prevention, helping early detection and treatment, promoting safe and healthy food habits and take-up cancer research initiatives with support from leading hospitals in Kerala. The campaign directly works with different communities, healthcare professionals and institutions to support communities for reducing cancer risk, timely identification of risk and access care and support.