Apollo Proton Cancer Centre has launched the second edition of the International Women’s Day campaign — Screen to Win, for women auto drivers in Chennai. This initiative is centered to encourage women to get screened, be aware of cancer and spot the disease at an early stage.
The Apollo Mobile Cancer Screening Program was inaugurated by the chief guest, Her Excellency, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and Lt. Governor of Puducherry; and guest of honor, Dr. Preethaa Ganesh, Vice President, Vels Group of Institutions, in presence of Dr. Sapna Nangia, Senior Consultant-Radiation Oncology, Dr. Manjula Rao, Consultant-Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, and Dr. Muktha Mahajan, Consultant – Breast & Interventional Radiology, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai.
As a part of the initiative, the screening program was hosted in association with ‘Enayum Kaikal’, the women auto drivers’ association in Chennai. It was conducted in Apollo Mobile Health Bus which includes a digital mammogram, X-Ray, ultrasound, pap smear test, ECG, Echo, basic comprehensive test, BMI, RBS & BP. The participants were screened and had consultation with our experts.
Her Excellency, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, expressed her delight in being a part of the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre’s Screen to Win initiative. She stated, “As a woman, I understand the importance of raising awareness about health issues that disproportionately affect women. Cancer is one such issue. The number of deaths in our country is alarming and heartbreaking, even though breast cancer is preventable and curable if detected early. We need to educate and empower women to prevent and fight cancer, which claims far too many lives each year. I congratulate the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre’s efforts to address it through this campaign, particularly for auto rickshaw women drivers. I encourage the community to take benefit of the Apollo cancer screening camps for a healthy future.”
Dr. Preethaa Ganesh, Vice President, Vels group of Institution went on to emphasize the significance of regular screenings and early detection in the fight against cancer. She said, “I’m honored to be a part of Apollo’s ‘Screen to Win’ initiative, a meaningful and novel campaign aimed at the welfare of autorickshaw women drivers. Screenings are critical for detecting cancer at an early stage, which can improve treatment outcomes significantly. This is especially true for women, who are often caregivers and neglect their own health needs. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers, and from what I understand, early detection not only improves the outcome, but it also significantly reduces treatment costs. Hence, I would encourage all women to get screened, to be aware, and to educate other women as well.”
Dr. Sapna Nangia, Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology (Breast & Gynec), Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, said, “According to the recent statistics, the national average of cancer cases for 2022 is 100.4 per 100,000, with a large number of women (105.4 per 100,000) being diagnosed with breast cancer. Patients often present themselves with advanced cancers that are more difficult to treat due to a lack of awareness and knowledge about the disease. Each of the tests provided during the campaign is critical in detecting cancer at an early stage and can significantly improve treatment outcomes. I encourage every woman to learn more about breast cancer and come to the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre or the Apollo Mobile Health Bus for an early-stage screening.”
Last year, the APCC organized the first edition of the screening program in association with the Lions Club, Rotary Club, and IPSOWA (IPS Officers Wives’ Association-TN). The Apollo Mobile Health Bus travelled across Tamil Nadu, screened 17,500 women, and created awareness about early detection and the importance of regular screenings.
