Women urged to have regular check-ups to prevent breast cancer

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WHILE self-breast examination plays an important role in early detection of breast cancer, women should also go for regular check-ups at their health care provider.

Breast cancer survivor Zalina Adam, 47, from Setiawangsa said she was diagnosed in January 2007 after a mammogram screening.

“I would always do self-examination but there were no lumps at all. They diagnosed it at an early stage so I had my breast removed. I did not have to undergo chemotherapy but took hormone pills instead,” said Zalina, who has since had a reconstruction of her breast.

She said her grandmother was also diagnosed with breast cancer and women with a history of breast cancer in their family should be more alert because they had a higher chance of having it.

Sporting girls: Breast cancer survivor Zalina Adam (front row, left) and other survivors in the group Candy Girls, prove that life goes on after cancer as they danced to the tune of Jai Ho.

Zalina was one of the survivors from the group The Candy Girls who performed for guests during the Pink Mocktail Night at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur, the closing event for Pantai Hospital Klang’s Pink Charity Run held the previous day.

“We are from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre support group and besides lending support to women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, we also have a lot of social activities and we meet every Saturday to practise our dance,” she said.

Fellow group member Nancy Teh, 46, said it was important for women who were diagnosed with breast cancer to have a positive attitude.

“Early detection is important. Mine was diagnosed at the second stage and I went for chemotherapy,” said Teh.

Full support: Runners of all ages gathered in solidarity at the inaugural Pink Charity Run.

She advised women who were diagnosed not to panic but to find out more about the disease and their options for treatment.

“It is not the end of the world. We need to carry on with life as normal. We meet up at the support group, we dance, we socialise and we have a great time,” said Teh.

The Candy Girls put up a lively dance performance during the night’s event, dancing to the tunes of songs like What The Hell by Avril Lavigne and popular Hindi song Jai Ho.

The Pink Mocktail Night was hosted by Datuk Yasmin Yusuff, who was also the Pink Charity Run ambassador.

Pantai Hospital Klang chief executive officer Stanley Lam said that the Pink Charity Run was organised not only to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA) but also to raise awareness among women and men about the disease.

“The run will be our sustainable platform and effort to raise positive awareness and action towards early detection and prevention of breast cancer,” said Lam.