Morung Express News
Kohima | October 19
A staggering number of 1.5 lakh women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in India while more than 50% of them come in late stage and India sees almost 70,000 women dying of breast cancer every year. Pointing to these cancer fast facts, Dr Ramesh Maturi asserted that ‘early detection is the best protection’ while stating that ‘when they come in stage 4, it becomes difficult to cure.’
Dr Ramesh Maturi, MS FRCS (UK), Soudavar Fellow (USA), Dip Lap Surgery (France), Exec MBA, Indian School of Business, Associate Professor, Osmania Medical College & Managing Director, Parijatham Women Wellness Clinics, was speaking at a live webinar on Breast Cancer Awareness on Monday, organized by the District Administration, DLCW-Mahila Shakti Kendra and Sakhi- One Stop Centre under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mon in view of Breast Cancer Awareness month from October 1-31, 2020.
Stating that every lump that occurs in the breast is not necessarily cancer, he encouraged women even without symptoms to get themselves screened. “Do not wait for the symptoms to appear. It is always now to protect ourselves and our family members,” he said.
85% of women in this world with breast cancer, he further pointed out that none of their family members had cancer while articulating that “remember, breast cancer is not necessarily genetic.” “1 in every 8 women across the world will develop breast cancer in their lifetime,” he said.
Towards this end, he reiterated the need for women to do screening and examine their breasts every month for early detection. “You will become the best judge of your body,” he said in this regard. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Dr Ramesh Maturi said that cancer is something very close to his heart and referring to the webinar, he added, for the first time, he is speaking to a place so far away from where he lives.
In the Indian social structure, he also highlighted that women play a key role, not just in running the family but take upon themselves how to take care of the family health. Despite all these, women who need more healthcare, end up ignoring their own health. He said the demand for women health need is significantly higher while highlighting that women pass through four important phases namely- menarche, monthly challenges, pregnancy, menopause.
And while these are considered normal, he said, it is not easy. He substantiated that the mind is affected more in menarche, body is affected in pregnancy and the spirit is affected by monthly challenges while also touching upon the definition of “health”, which means “wellness in mind, body and spirit.”
If we have any opportunity to reduce the burden of women, he impressed upon that “we have to do everything possible to make their health comparatively easier.” Towards this end, he said the first step is empowerment of their health, providing health to women and educating them and reiterated once more that women must examine and screen themselves and put in effort for early detection of breast cancer.
