Free Mammography Camp for Pioneer Institutions Staff
Pioneer Institutions including Pioneer College of Arts and Science, Pioneer Higher Secondary School and Pioneer Nursery and Primary School organised a Free Mammography Camp under Ganga Hospital’s Project Shakthi in association with the Rotary Club of Coimbatore Metropolis. The camp was organised on 30.05.2022 for the benefit of women staff of the institutions at the Pricol plant located in Perianaickenpalayam, Coimbatore.
Over 60 women from our institutions participated in this early breast cancer detection program.
About Project Shakthi
Ganga Hospital and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Metropolis have launched a mobile screening bus with advanced technology to detect early breast cancer at the common man’s door steps under Project “Shakti”.
Project “Shakti” is a project to identify breast cancers early so that the appropriate treatment at the right time can save womens’ lives. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. It accounts for 26.3% of cancers among women. Studies have showed that the incidence of breast cancers in India and the world are increasing. Breast cancers are nowadays most commonly seen in the age groups of 40 to 60. This is the most productive part of a women’s life. Although most breast cancers may not be prevented, we can identify them early. When the breast cancer is limited to the breast, the 5 year survival is about 99%. When the breast cancer spreads to the lymph nodes in the axilla, the survival is about 85%. However, when the breast cancer spreads beyond the axilla, the survival is only about 27%. Most cancers in India are unfortunately found in the late stages. Hence a lot of women lose their lives and have to undergo prolonged treatment. If we could identify breast cancers early, we can not only save the lives of many women, reduce the severity of the treatment, but also conserve the breasts of women which may unfortunately be removed by cancer. The Project “Shakti” has been planned to achieve this.
In this project, camps would be organised. A sophisticated bus with Hologic Mammogram would come to screen about 1500 women for breast cancer in 18 months. This would increase breast cancer awareness and early identification for the same. Although the idea of identifying breast cancers early is a very useful and time tested idea, it is often criticised that after identification of breast cancers, the treatment of breast cancers are not appropriately done as they are not affordable. In Project Shakti, in addition to identifying breast cancer, the project would also treat any breast cancer identified through the project totally free of cost in this project. This would include the cost of further tests to determine breast cancer, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and breast reconstruction. This would be one of the few projects where we not only help spread awareness, identify breast cancers early, but also treat breast cancers totally free of cost giving a wholesome care to the patient.