A doctor who went that extra mile for Breast cancer awareness

Women, who struggle and suffer pain to ensure the continuation of the human race, make much tougher and more courageous soldiers than all those big-mouthed freedom-fighting heroes put together.”  ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Rarely do you meet a person who is selflessly dedicating their lives completely for the welfare and happiness of others. There are only few people in this world doing incredibly selfless acts stretching their boundaries and limitations. Well, Dr. Anita Khokhar is one such person; a doctor who is conducting Voluntary Breast cancer awareness programs for last 9-10 years and Turacoz team has been fortunate enough to interview this outstanding woman.

It is a myth that we cannot have breast cancer.  Breast cancer is inherited in <10% of patients 

and whereas majority,90 % are random cases with no risk factors; hence you cannot predict who will get and who will not. According to doctors,” This disease is as common as common cold and can be treated if detected in time”

Dr. Anita Khokhar, a professor at Dept of Community Medicine, V.M.M.C & Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi , author of two BOOKS - Breast cancer awareness and early detection and women over forty books and a selfless activist for breast cancer awareness, here tells us about her mission:

What she has done so far?

Dr. Anita Khokhar has been conducting Voluntary Breast cancer awareness programs and workshops for last 9-10 years. While asking about the numbers, she says that she has conducted more than 250 breast cancer awareness workshops and educated more than 18-20,000 women on the same. The workshops have been for various organizations like Supreme Court, high court, café coffee day, schools, HRD dept, CRPF, IIT, CBI, RWAs etc.

What is taught in these sessions?

In the sessions the various types of examination techniques are demonstrated on models/mannequin. Women are made aware of self examination for breast cancer and the treatments.

What is her observation in breast cancer awareness among Indian women?

Dr. Khokhar says that the first observation is 2/3^rd of Indian patients are diagnosed very late. On self examination, lumps as small as 2 cm can be detected, which are normally stage 1 and curable? In her review article, she says that in developing countries like ours, lack of public awareness about breast cancer means that patients ignore their symptoms till the very late stage. Only 36% of the teachers had heard the term breast self examination. Teachers knew little about when and how to perform a breast self exam. Only 13.37% knew that the correct frequency of doing it was once a month. Some 7.2% knew about the position in which it should be done and only 1.36% participants were aware of the right time of doing it i.e. for those women who menstruate, a week from the start of periods and for those women who do not menstruate, one a fixed date every month.

She says that “Take out 10-15 min of your time every month for yourself to examine your breast, get familiar with your breast”. Is it too much to ask from ourselves?

 What are Challenges in Indian women population?

• The major challenge is the delay in diagnosis is at the level of the patient as well as getting the right treatment and reaching the right destination.
• There is no national policy/program and no screening support.
• Most of the breast cancer surgeons are male and Indian women avoid visiting them. They are reaching gynecologist first, who cannot treat them. Many reach a quack, or some alternate medicine and further cause delay in treatment. Nobody knows the term oncoplastic surgeon, or a breast cancer surgeon.
• Expensive and sophisticated screening techniques are only available in metro cities and very less in remote areas.
• Clinical breast examination is not a part of normal graduate education (MBBS) therefore doctors are not primed for this technique.

How to prevent Breast Cancer?

• Awareness of your breasts
• Incorporate self breast examination as a lifestyle.
• If diagnosed go to a Surgeon/Onco-surgeon

Some of the modifiable Factors are

• Reduce weight as if there are less fat cells, there is going to be lesser estrogen.
• Increase physical activity.

How to contact her for conducting a breast cancer awareness workshop?

You can contact Dr. Anita Khokhar who is Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi on her email is: anitakh1@yahoo.com  on her Facebook page #knowyourbreasts or Twitter or Linkedin.

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