Apollo Hospitals launched a website on cancer care and a breast cancer awareness campaign on Friday as part of breast cancer awareness month.
The interactive website www.apollocancercentres .com has videos and information from oncologists from the hospital’s 14 cancer care centres.
The campaign is intended to encourage women do self-examination of their breast every month and create a movement to educate and empower every woman to be her own breast examiner.
Women can log on to apollocancercentres.com for more information about self-breast examination. The site includes videos, interactive images, and information.
Hospital chairman Prathap C. Reddy recalled that in his village in the last two years, 18 persons were diagnosed with cancer. Of these, 11 were women. Seven of them had breast cancer and four had cervical cancers. They have since been leading a normal life as the cancer was detected early and treated.
Executive vice-chairperson Preetha Reddy said, “Around 70% of women in the country are diagnosed at a late stage. This issue needs to be addressed immediately.” According to her, women in India make little time for themselves as they sacrificed their time, health and energy in tending their family. Actor-politician Kushboo Sundar, who launched the website and the campaign, recalled cancer-related instances in her family. An aunt whose cancer was detected in the last stages could not be helped but another relative’s colon cancer was diagnosed early and she had survived, she said.
Ms. Sundar wanted cancer awareness to reach women in the hinterland and their family members.
