Cancer survivors were felicitated during the World Cancer Day function organised by the Indian Medical Association - Tiruchi in association with Dr. G. Viswanathan Group of Hospitals here on Wednesday.
K. Govindaraj, Director, GVN Hospitals, said Tiruchi has improved a lot in cancer care and treatment. Mammobus, a mobile mammogram vehicle, launched by Dr. K. Santha Breast Cancer Foundation to screen women, especially in rural and inaccessible areas, has so far conducted over 17,000 mammograms and reached at least 50,000 women. Doctors aboard the bus organise awareness programmes.
He said he would wish to call them ‘cancer conquerers,’ not ‘cancer survivors,’ as they not only survived the condition but also came out stronger. ‘There are patients we have operated upon who did not even know that they had cancer, as the word itself has a stigma attached to it,’ he said. Around 10 ‘cancer conquerers’ were felicitated at the event.
K.N.Srinivasan, radiation oncologist, urged women, especially those over the age of 40 to conduct home screenings and learn to identify potential risks. ‘Early screening gives more time for diagnosis and treatment.
M. S. Ashraf, former national vice-president of IMA said institutions such as IMA in association with hospitals in the city must do their part to remove the stigma attached to cancer and ensure that individuals get themselves tested regularly.
R. Gunasekaran, President, IMA-Tiruchi, B. Senthilvelkumar, Secretary, IMA-Tiruchi, oncologists and students took part in the event.