Breast Cancer Awareness Week aims to educate public

What say you on the issue below?

AYER KEROH: Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh (PHAK) recently completed a Breast Cancer Awareness Week as part of the Pantai Group’s ‘Think Pink!’ initiative.

The Breast Cancer Awareness Week commenced with a month-long exhibition at the hospital’s lobby area aimed at educating the public through vital information about breast cancer.

The exhibition included facts and statistics on cancer and breast cancer in Malaysia, information on prevention, early detection, screening, treatment and support for patients diagnosed with cancer.

Listen up:PHAK oncologist and radiotherapist Dr Daniel Wong speaking on “All You Need to Know About the Big C But Was Afraid to Ask!”.

PHAK also launched a ‘TLC — Touch.Look.Check’ counter for demonstrations of self-breast examination as part of the early screening for breast cancer.

“If you are a woman in your 20s, you can start performing self-breast examination because it helps one in being aware of what is normal for each woman in regards to their breasts.

“Should you decide to do the examination, it would be best to have your doctor or nurse check your method to make sure you are doing it right,” said clinical instructor Annie Tan.

As part of the campaign to reach out to people from all walks of life, PHAK had organised three separate health talks on cancer, targeting the general public and staff to aid them in being more well-informed about breast cancer or cancer in general.

Rewarded: Henny from Pekan Baru, Indonesia was rewarded with a health screening voucher after she got “pink-ed” for carrying a pink tote bag.

Twenty-five patients, visitors and hospital staff of the hospital were also rewarded for getting “pink-ed”.

Those spotted wearing anything in pink in the hospital throughout the week were chosen as winners.

They were presented with a complimentary health screening voucher worth RM330 each and were appreciative of the hospital’s effort in raising the awareness of breast cancer.

Patrons who wore pink clothing also enjoyed a further discounted rate for mammogram check at PHAK’s Health Screening Centre during the Breast Cancer Awareness Week.

“As a continuation of our ‘Make a Difference for Pink’ efforts last year, we expanded our breast cancer awareness efforts this time around across various channels of information with the aim of disseminating knowledge to a wider target audience.

“Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face, which makes prevention and early detection all the more vital as our first step to fight cancer and in aiding towards one’s preparedness,” said PHAK chief executive officer Gan Kong Hoe.