SH Advani, head of the oncology department at Jaslok Hospital then stepped in to speak to society residents about breast cancer.
Equipped with mammography machines, doctors have already conducted 400 check-ups
When a group of volunteers from Helping Hand, a non-government organisation working with cancer patients, first approached members of a co-operative housing society in Mulund with an offer to bring breast cancer check-ups to their doorstep, they received a cold shoulder.
SH Advani, head of the oncology department at Jaslok Hospital then stepped in to speak to society residents about breast cancer.
After the hour-long awareness programme, doctors said all the women in the society registered for a check-up in a van equipped with mammography machines.
Since its inauguration on September 29 to mark the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the mobile mammography van has conducted check-ups on 400 women in several of the city’s suburbs including Mulund, Wadala, Vashi, Borivili, Malad, Andheri and Chembur.
“We have heard several patients complain about the unfriendly atmosphere at hospitals. They have to wait an entire day for an appointment and a check-up, and then wait again for a doctor to consult their results,” said Advani, who had come up with the outreach programme that took some of the city’s best oncologists right to people’s doorstep.
“In the course of my practice, I have noticed that education, age and class - none of these have a bearing on breast cancer awareness,” said Advani. Therefore, he said, the mammography van is mainly aimed at residential societies in the city.
Advani said that organisations like State Bank of India, Reserve Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Oil and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation had approached the NGO to conduct breast cancer check-ups for their employees.
“The check-up is for women who are 40-years-old and above. The only requirement for us is the availability of parking space for our mammography van,” said Jai Prakash Singh, coordinator of Helping Hand. Leading oncologists are invited to speak on breast cancer, after which women are urged to register for a check-up, he said.
“In fact, the mammography van is fully-booked till November-end.”
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