Famous Bollywood actress Kajol, popular for her roles in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and My Name is Khan is actively lending support in creating awareness about breast cancer. The ailment which is rampant in women across the world is one of the killer diseases about which the women in south-east Asian countries have little awareness. Most women are still not aware of the treatment and symptoms of breast cancer.
At an event organised by the Indian doctors, Kajol urged women to go for regular check-ups, as early detection can help in eradication of the disease.
She admitted that most women in the rural belts of India and other developing countries live with the fear of breast cancer, but rarely go to a doctor to get it tested and treated.
Newer technologies are coming in, but in most cases women visit a hospital for treatment only when the disease penetrates and enters the last stages.
Kajol along with her mother veteran actress Tanuja and younger sister Tanisha are actively working towards creating awareness about breast cancer. Kajol and Tanuja are also associated with 'Prashanti Cancer Care Mission', a non-profit organisation that works for treatment and control of breast cancer. The aim of Prashanti is to offer support to women to go for regular check-ups and mammographic tests.
The organisation also conducts programmes to make women aware of the treatment available. The NGO conducts workshops on how to detect the early signs of breast cancer. The volunteers in the group teach women how to spot the lump by feeling the breast.
In an association with Orchids Breast Health Center, the Mission has established a training institute in Pune called 'International School of Oncoplastic Surgery' in collaboration with the senior faculty from Association of Breast Oncosurgeons, UK and University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Kajol highlighted that by spreading awareness, we have made women in the villages talk about breast cancer. Patients at upcountry are now visiting the doctors and local medical practitioners as soon as they suspect a lump, but there is still a big number of women who are ignorant about it.
Kajol said that cancer is the most dreaded word, and the minute a person gets to know that she has been suffering from any type of cancer, it starts declining the spirit.
People should know that cancer treatment is available, but early detection can ensure a complete cure.
Kajol had played an Alzheimer patient in the film U, Me Aur Hum directed by hubby Ajay Devgn and had played a cancer patient in the film We Are Family. She is lately busy with the shooting of the film Dilwale opposite Shah Rukh Khan, which is directed by Rohit Shetty.
