Mobilising women to undergo cancer screening tests

“Breast cancer cannot be prevented but if it detected early, it can be completely cured. For this, one needs to undergo a mammogram and other relevant tests as advised by the physician depending on one’s age,” says Dr. Selvi Radhakrishna, a consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon. However, if it is a huge challenge to make women undergo a pap smear test, asking them to take up a mammogram test to rule out breast cancer is harder. Which is why, a nominal amount of Rs. 1000 is charged for mammography, pap smear and other diagnostic tests for breast and cervical cancer.This was fixed to make diagnostics more accessible. But why charge them? “We are forced to do it because only then they understand the importance of the test,” said Radhika. 

Radhika and Dr. Selvi are planning to launch Chennai Breast Cancer Research Foundation (CBCRF) at Anna Nagar next year. “The founding principles of the organisation are to create awareness, state of the art treatment, teaching and training and research. It will provide affordable treatment for cancer. It will have a team of committed team of doctors and other team members led by Dr. Selvi Radhikrishna,” said Radhika. “The foundation will have a financial model designed to be self-sustaining to carry out day -to- day activities, but depends on grants to establish the infrastructure, procure equipment and expansion needs.  The project is estimated to cost 50 crores,” said Radhika. 

“CBCRF will act as a referral centre for comprehensive management of breast cancer. It will provide pain management and palliative care and offer the option of drugs for cancer patients. It will impart training to doctors, technologists, nurses, technicians and physician assistants. It will also develop modules and standard operating protocols in the clinical care pathways and breast cancer management,” said Dr. Selvi. 

They have sensitised two lakh women so far. Penn Nalam had, since 2009 been running an initiative,  to ‘save lives of women from cancer on time’ through a mobile screening bus that goes to people’s doorsteps. “The vehicle is equipped with state-of-theart facility to screen and test cancer,” said Radhika.  

Those interested in being a part of Penn Nalam’s initiative can log on to info@pennnalam.org.