An Initiative by Indian Doctors Forum in Collaboration with The Indian Community School
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin
Every October widely known as ‘Pink October’ marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), a national campaign to raise awareness for this cause. The Indian Community School, Senior in collaboration with Indian Doctors Form organized Breast Cancer Awareness programme on Friday 20th October 2023 which aimed to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education about screening, symptoms and treatment.
The occasion was graced by the esteemed presence of the Chief Guest Mrs. Vandana Swaika – W/O H.E. Dr. Adarsh Swaika, Ambassador of India to Kuwait and Guest of Honor, Nour M. Haider, Public Relation Manager, International Hospital. Among the dignitaries were Dr. Diwakara Chaluvaiah, President of the Indian Doctors Forum, Dr. Sajna Mohammed and Dr. Sameer Humad Vice Presidents of Indian Doctors Forum, Mr. Vinu Kumar Nair, Hon. Vice Chairman to the Board of Trustees, Mrs. Surayya Salim, Indian Women’s Association, Dr. Amir Ahmed, Former President of Indian Doctors Forum and Mrs. Sheeja Ravi, Principal of ICSK Junior.
150 educators from 22 different CBSE schools in Kuwait assembled in the school auditorium for the enlightening session. Stressing on the importance of early detection of the disease and appreciating the efforts of Indian Doctors Forum, Mrs. Sheeja Ravi, Principal of ICSK Junior presented an august welcome to the gathering. The session commenced with the lighting of lamp by the esteemed Chief Guest Mrs. Vandana Swaika accompanied by Dr. Diwakara Chaluvaiah, President of the Indian Doctors Forum and Hon. Vice Chairman to the Board of Trustees Mr. Vinu Kumar Nair.
Chief Guest of the day, Mrs. Vandana Swaika appreciated the doctors for serving the community and also highlighted the importance of raising awareness to safeguard the society from the life-threatening disease. Dr. Sajna Mohammed, Vice President of Indian Doctors Forum in her inaugural speech briefed about the vision and motive of the campaign and stressed on the need of spreading awareness and early detection.
Eminent speakers Dr. Diwankara Chaluvaiah, President of the Indian Doctors Forum, Dr. Susovana Nair, Medical Oncologist at Kuwait Cancer Control Center and Dr. Rifat Jehan, Medical Oncologist at Kuwait Cancer Control Center delivered an insightful presentation on breast cancer, covering topics such as risk factors, symptoms and the latest advancements in treatment.
Dr. Diwankara Chaluvaiah, President of the Indian Doctors Forum spoke about the role played by the educators in spreading awareness to a mass community. Sharing his expertise on ‘Breast biopsy’ and ‘Various techniques of breast imaging’, he laid emphasis on the importance of screening and gave information regarding the various types of tests and treatments available.
Dr. Susovana gave a detailed lecture on the subject giving insights on the causes, treatment and preventive measures of the disease. She also mentioned how the management of the disease can be done with respect to the general condition of the patient, type of disease, stage of disease and hormonal status of the patient.
Dr Rifat Jehan in her informative talk disseminated information on topics like uncontrollable and controllable risk factors of cancer and differentiated between normal and abnormal cell division. In her explicit talk on screening, she urged all women above the age of 30 to come forward for medical screening. The educators were encouraged to perform breast self-examination regularly to rule out the chances of developing breast cancer.
Vote of thanks proposed by Mrs. Susan Rajesh, Vice Principal of ICSK Senior drew curtains to the informative session empowering women and society at large. A medical camp with a team of 25 – 30 doctors was exclusively arranged for the teachers to provide free cancer screening and consultation.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Programme conducted under the able leadership of Dr. V. Binumon, Principal and Senior Administrator of ICSK in collaboration with Indian Doctors Forum was a resounding success. It not only educated the school community but also promoted a culture of empathy and support for those affected by breast cancer. This program exemplified our school’s commitment to making a positive difference in the world and underscored the importance of such initiatives in fostering a caring and informed community.
