The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Video CD on cancer released

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Sunday, Nov 08, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Video CD on cancer released

Special Correspondent

Photo: K. Ananthan

Launch: DIG of Police (Coimbatore range) B. Balanagadevi (second left) releasing a CD on cancer awareness brought out by Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology & Research in Coimbatore on Saturday. Managing Trustee of S.N.R. Sons Charitable Trust R. Venkatesulu (centre) receives the first copy. Director of the Institute P.Guhan (left) and Trustee of SNR Sons Charitable Trust D.Lakshminarayanaswamy (second right) are in the picture.

COIMBATORE: A video compact disc on various types of cancer has been brought out by Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research to generate awareness on the factors or habits that cause the disease and the ways for early detection and treatment. It was released on Saturday to mark the World Cancer Day.

Releasing the CD, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Coimbatore Range, B. Balanagadevi stressed the importance of awareness in early detection and effective treatment of cancer. She appreciated the efforts of the institute in bringing out the CD to generate awareness on the disease across various sections, including students. Managing Trustee of the SNR Sons Charitable Trust R. Venkatesulu received the first copy.

The CD contained images of lungs damaged by smoking and ulcers in the mouth caused by chewing pan. Self-examination of breasts and Pap smear test for detecting cancer of the cervix were some of the other areas covered in the CD.

Director of the Institute P. Guhan said that with a voice-over to bring out clearly the intended message, the CD deals mostly with the cancer caused by tobacco. Eight lakh people died every year in the country owing to tobacco use and these were mostly men. Smoking reduced one’s life span by 22 to 26 years.

“We have been giving handbills to the people on the ill-effects of tobacco. This time, we thought an audio-visual presentation would have a greater impact,” said Dr. Guhan.

“The CD shows how a lung damaged by smoking looks, how much damage pan chewing can cause to one’s mouth,” he said. It also asked people to quit smoking abruptly rather than arguing that they could come out of it gradually.

Smoking could not be stopped gradually and this was the truth, one of the anti-tobacco messages in the CD said.

Through the latest initiative, the institute asked women to undergo mammogram and Pap smear test as early detection was vital to effective treatment.

Every married woman aged up to 60 could undergo the Pap smear test as an out-patient. First, the test should be done once a year for three consecutive years. If there was no cancer, further tests could be done once in two or three years.

Dr. Guhan said the institute wanted to give copies of the CD free of cost to colleges and schools to generate awareness on the dangers of smoking and pan chewing. The institutions could contact the oncology institute on the following phone numbers: (0422) 4389797 and 4500203.

The institute had also brought out a CD on breast self-examination, to detect signs of breast cancer. Those interested in obtaining the copies, including women’s colleges, could contact the institute, he said.

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