The Hindu : New Delhi News : Taking the fight against cancer further

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Friday, Dec 05, 2008
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New Delhi

Taking the fight against cancer further

For a cause: Bollywood personalities Farah Khan and Sonali Bendre at the launch of the ‘Guard Yourself - A Cervical Cancer Prevention Programme’ in New Delhi.

To create public awareness about cervical cancer among Indian women, Bollywood personalities Sonali Bendre and Farah Khan on Thursday launched a comprehensive prevention programme at Fortis La Femme Centre for Women at Greater Kailash in the Capital.

Pointing out that a large number of women die because of cervical cancer -- “forgotten cancer” -- Farah said when she was pregnant recently she got educated about the “dreaded disease”.

“As a mother I want every mother and daughter to spend a few minutes at Guard Yourself centres that are opening across the country. Women should get education on it and get themselves vaccinated to prevent this cancer. Every year almost 74,000 women die due to it in India that is more than one-fourth of the world deaths due to cervical cancer,” she added.

A sombre-looking Sonali said earlier she was under the impression that breast cancer was the biggest killer in the country.

Second most common

“It is important for me to send out the message that cervical cancer is the most common female cancer in India. I am willing to talk to mothers and their daughters about it. Our women need to understand that it is a serious disease that can be life-threatening as this cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, she added.

The two celebrities, who had flown in from Mumbai which has witnessed its worst terrorist attacks, said citizens need to guard themselves rather than depend on those in the corridors of power to do something for them.

“Both Mumbaikars and people living across the country are angry over the attack on the common man by terrorists. We need to channel the anger in a positive manner. I will open a crisis centre and an emergency service centre in my locality that has 22 housing societies. God forbid if some terrorist tries to attack us we will give a befitting reply,” said Farah.

Sonali said the need of the hour is to introspect. The educated denizens who don’t exercise their franchise must realise that they need to vote and choose the “right candidate”.

The two leading lights of the film industry will soon be seen together in an advertisement on various channels in which they will exhort women to get themselves checked for cervical cancer at 1,800 centres in big cities and rural areas.

Madhur Tankha

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