For G

I am afraid

“I am afraid,” a friend said to me last week when I asked her to go for a mammogram. “It is better to be afraid now then to face consequences later,” I told her.

The truth is, many women are scared to go for a mammogram. It’s a simple test, like an X ray wherein any abnormalities can be detected early enough. But many women avoid it.

Why aren’t women afraid to meet school friends once a year? Why aren’t women afraid to have haircuts? Why aren’t women afraid to go on an annual vacation? Think of a yearly mammogram and a physical check as part of your routine, just as some of these activities. Mark a day, once a year, for all the women in your family. Go for a mammogram with your best friend. But don’t avoid it.

The proximity of the disease means I have to undergo mammograms and checks regularly.

It also means I will continuously tell all the women I know closely and those in my family to go for mammograms and check ups regularly.

Don’t let this disease take away any more of those we love. Don’t be afraid.

It has been 10 years

This September 7 will mark 10 years since my sister passed away.

I started reading on breast cancer some time before she died. But the past 10 years have been different. Back then I was reading with hope for her. Now I read with hope for everyone who has been or will be afflicted with breast cancer.

My reading has also helped me learn about many people through the world who raise money to find a cure for breast cancer. Some work towards awareness. Almost everyone has had a loved one afflicted with it. Nancy Brinker, my inspiration, began Susan G Komen for the Cure, which is today the largest source of private funds in the world, for breast cancer research. One woman, Polly Letofsky, walked across the world for five years to raise money. Another family has started an annual walk. There are so many people doing so many different things.

This blog is my attempt to do something.

What can I do this year?

Navratilova has breast cancer

In my teens, I was crazy about watching tennis. I really followed the game for a few years. Even have the newspaper cuttings from those times. Especially ones about Steffi Graf’s achievements.

Besides Graf, Martina Navratilova was another player whose matches I loved to watch. But the magic of the game died down for me after Graf’s retirement. Nowadays I don’t even know who is World No 1!

Then the other day I read about Navratilova getting breast cancer. She said she was shocked because she was always healthy.

But it’s not about being healthy. Many sportsmen, Lance Armstrong being the most famous, have got cancer.

This is a disease where one cannot say A has factor X so he/ she will not get it. Or A doesn’t have factor X, so he/ she will get it.

One must always stay a step ahead of it by being careful and going for tests. If at all one gets it, deal with it. Wage a war against it.

Above all, be aware. That is half the war won.

Cold caps, comfort bags

It amazes me each time I learn about the way someone is helping breast cancer patients.
My friend who lives in the USA sent me a mail recently about the Rapunzel project. Two survivors have come together to set it up there.
Women need not lose their hair due to the toxins during chemotherapy. This can be prevented with the use of ‘cold caps’. Apparently, they have been used in Europe for a long time. The US is getting to know them. The caps, worn during the treatment, keep the head cold and prevent the toxins from destroying hair follicles.
The only problem is that they have to be kept cold at an extreme temperature. Two friends, Shirley and Nancy have started the project to raise funds to purchase special freezers for hospitals to keep these caps.

Another way to keep the head cool during chemotherapy is by keeping the leaves of the castor plant on it.

The New Hanover Regional Medical Centre’s comfort bags are another unique idea begun in 1998.The bags contain ‘Love, Medicine and Miracles’ a book of encouragement by Bernie Seagal, ‘There is no place like hope’ a book on how to fight cancer by Vicki Gerard, a small pillow to be kept between the car’s seat belt and the patient’s chest after surgery, a planner to note down doctor’s appointments, peppermints to help prevent sore throats due to chemotherapy and a satin cover for the pillow kept under the patient’s head, among others. Small things, which can make a big difference to a patient.

Perhaps someone is already doing something unique to help more patients. Write to me and let me know.

List of hospitals that have mammography tests

Following are the hospitals where mammography tests can be done:

In Mumbai
P D Hinduja Hospital, Mahim: Phones: 24451515, 24449199, 24452222, 24447000

Lilavati Hospital, Bandra: Phone: 26421111

N M Medical, Mulund: Phone: 43427777

In Bengaluru
N M Medical, Bengaluru: Phone 40466464

Passages has a breast cancer helpline in Mumbai: 98202 00300

Please let me know of hospitals in other cities that have this test.

Pink ribbon

I made my first pink ribbon four years ago and wore it through October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month in many countries. Then I began to wear one through October every year.
The reactions I get from people are surprising.

“What is this for? Is it some kind of an AIDS thing?”
Me: “No. The red ribbon stands for AIDS. This is the symbol for breast cancer awareness.”

“Can men wear it?”
Me: Of course, if they want to support the cause, they can. And yes, men can also get breast cancer.

“Okay, but why are you wearing it?”
Me: It’s my personal campaign against breast cancer.
“Does it work, wearing the ribbon?”
But this time a colleague said, “Well, you asked her and she told you about the disease, didn’t she? Now you know.”

But some such reactions only remind me time and again, that much more awareness is needed.

It was in the early 90s that it was decided the pink ribbon would be the symbol of breast cancer. In 1991 the Komen Foundation distributed them at a race. The Estee Lauder company is also said to have had a say in deciding
on the colour of the ribbon.

Over time, the colour pink has come to symbolize breast cancer. Some organizations sell pink merchandise like T shirts to help raise money for research. As the writer of My breast cancer blog at cancerspot.org says, anything pink that reminds you of breast cancer and makes you go in for a check up.

In the USA and the UK, people organize pink days at office. This means they wear something pink to work. Prizes are given to the person who wears most pink, for instance, and the money is given for research. What a simple and beautiful idea.

We Indians love to celebrate our ‘days’. From friendship day, to rose day, to jeans day. We’ve loved to participate in such days through our college years and even later, at work. So why not have a pink ribbon day? You could ask your colleagues and boss if everyone could wear a pink ribbon to office one day. You could ask your gym instructor to wear a pink ribbon. You could ask your group of friends to wear pink ribbons. Tell people about the pink ribbon and its cause. The more pink ribbons worn, the more the awareness created. It is only when people know the reason behind a ribbon will they start to think of it, and go for a check up themselves and tell a loved one about the need to go for a check up for breast cancer. You could also give a certain amount of money contributed by each person who wears the ribbon, to a breast cancer related cause.
And one doesn’t need to wait for October to wear a pink ribbon.

Wear a pink ribbon, and write to me about your experience.

Pink October

It is October 1 today. In many countries, October is observed as the Month of Breast Cancer Awareness. Many events are held this month, to make people aware of the disease.

Some organizations hold events like pink ribbon breakfasts or dinners to raise money for research. Many monuments and buildings are light up in pink lights, after a campaign started by Estee Lauder. These include the Eiffel Tower, the White House, the Sydney Opera House and even the Taj Mahal Palace and Towers hotel in India. The pink ribbon is the internationally recognized symbol for breast cancer. It is also worn in memory of those who lost their lives due to complications from this disease.

Some years ago, the company that does Post-its, created pink ones for the cause. The money from the sale of those post-its went to research.

Some well known companies like Avon and Reebok hold special sales and races to raise money for research.

This year too, many events are being held across the world. But perhaps being in the newspaper business, what I think is most significant is what The Herald News is doing. The Herald News has been printed on pink newsprint on October 1. The newspaper and its owners GateHouse Media New England, together with the American Cancer Society and We Got Soccer, will “paint the town pink,” to help raise awareness for breast cancer. It will also focus on locals affected by the disease and feature new developments in research. They will donate 10 cents from each pink newspaper sold, to the American Cancer Society.

In India too, a few organizations hold events to create awareness about this disease. The incidence of breast cancer in India is expected to increase by over 200 % by the year 2020. On October 2, over 75 women are getting behind the wheel at the Women’s Car Rally 2009, in support of The Forum for Breast Cancer Protection, and NGO. Fleximoms is supporting the event. The rally will be from Delhi to Agra.

On October 4, there is a walk in Chennai, ‘One Walk One Hope,’ to express solidarity with patients but also to raise awareness.

Everything to make women aware and go for that mammogram and physical examination.

Statistics: epassages.org