Pink Ribbon Walk 2011 Press Meet

Hyderabad - Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation (UBF) and the U.S. Consulate General, Hyderabad announced a month of activities aimed at creating awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer among women in Andhra Pradesh. UBF also announced the launch of a unique population based breast cancer screening program in partnership with Government of Andhra Pradesh.

As part of International Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2011, UBF and the u.s. Consulate General will be conducting The Pink Ribbon Walk 2011 on Sunday, October 2 at KBR Park at 6.30 a.m. The aim of the walk is to honor those women who have fought the illness with determination as well as raise awareness about the importance of early detection.

Speaking on the occasion, Consul General Katherine Dhanani said "Our participation salutes women cancer survivors and encourages those fighting the disease not to give up. We walk . together to show our solidarity and our commitment to spread the word about early detection."

Dr. P. Raghu Ram, CEO, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation, announced a population based Breast Cancer Screening initiative being launched in partnership with Government of Andhra Pradesh.

He also said, "With the singular aim at ensuring early detection of breast cancer, particularly in rural Andhra Pradesh, UBF has embarked upon initiating unique evidence based simple, inexpensive, viable & most importantly sustainable community based breast cancer screening program, which hopefully would translate into saving more lives. UBF will train 5,000 Community based Health Care Workers (ANMs and Community Resource Persons- CRPs based in Vizianagaram & Nellore Districts) through well established and well researched audio visual aids. They will also be trained to perform clinical breast examination (CBE), a screening tool to detect early breast cancer."

He further added that the first of its kind partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, will be launched by Chief Minister Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy in October.

As part of the 'Pink Ribbon Campaign, another unique initiative - 'Paint the City Pink' is being organized for the second consecutive year in Hyderabad. For the first time, the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be illuminated in Pink - a color that represents breast cancer awareness. Other historic and prominent buildings such as the Charminar, Buddha Statue, U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad Public School, The Marriott Hotel, and many others will be 'illuminated in pink on 30th September - the eve of the beginning of International Breast Cancer awareness month

In India 100,000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year, a number that has overtaken cervical cancer. This figure is expected to increase to 130,000 by 2020. Some 50,000 women die from breast cancer every year in India and it has become the leading cause for death among women in metropolitan cities. In addition to these startling statistics relating to breast cancer in India, Dr Raghu Ram highlighted the fact that more than one million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.