Tata Trusts has launched a pan-India campaign on breast cancer awareness titled Gaanth Pe Dhyan (focus on the lump).
It draws inspiration from the meticulous care that women put into cooking meals and preventing lumps from forming in their food to encourage women to apply the same attention to self examining their breasts regularly for any sign of gaanth (lump).
The trust has launched a social awareness film to nudge more women to prioritize their health and embrace health care. Featuring chef Sanjeev Kapoor, the film is aimed at reaching and resonating with an engaged audience of women viewers. Creatively exploring the simple metaphor linking cooking and breast self-examination, the film hopes to inspire women to go for breast screening, encourage them not to neglect their health and help save lives.
Dr Shalaka Joshi, surgical oncologist, Tata Memorial Hospital, said, “Breast cancer affects 1 in 30 women in India with incident rates rising over the past 25 years. Early detection is crucial for achieving a high cure rate, with over 90 per cent success at five years if diagnosed early. Unfortunately, 60 per cent of women in India are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to lack of awareness of early signs and symptoms, unavailability of screening, ignorance of personal health and fear of treatment.”
Tata Trusts has been at the forefront of cancer care in India since the 1940s carrying out pioneering oncology research and treatment.