Mobile Outreach Programme
The Women’s Cancer Initiative in partnership with the Department Of Preventive Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, launched its first Mobile Screening Van for early detection of breast, cervix and oral cancer on 1st November 2009.
The cancer burden in India continues to grow. Cervix and breast and oral cancers account for over 58% of the cancer burden among women in India.70% of the cases are reported for diagnosis and treatment at advanced stages due to high costs and poor access to screening services.This situation could be easily reversed if we had well planned cancer education and organised screening and early detection programs.
The Women’s Cancer Initiative is trying to rectify this problem by the launch of its first Mobile Outreach Programme.
Inauguration of the Women’s Cancer Initiative – Tata Memorial Hospital, Mobile Outreach Programme.
TThe inauguration of presided over by Chief Guest, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Hon. Minister of Health & Family Welfare as well as other prominent personalities such as Guest Of Honour, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Smt. Shameem Azad (wife of the Hon. Health Minster) flagged of the van on this auspicious occasion.
The mobile van is fully equipped and staffed, and will provide health education, screening and other preventive services to thousands of women from the lower socio economic areas in and around Mumbai, at no cost to them.The Mobile Outreach Programme includes Health Education Programs, Screening for Cervix Cancer, Screening for Breast Cancer, Screening for Oral Cancers.
Cancer Awareness Programme - Rotary Club 2017
Mrs. Devieka Bhojwani, Vice-President, Womens Cancer Initiative-Tata Memorial Hospital was invited by Rotary Club as a Chief Guest and motivational speaker, at an event on Cancer Awareness on 1st Feb, 2017 at Lala Lajpat Rai Auditorium, Mumbai.The packed auditorium of over 250 guests included young adults and senior citizens.
Breast Cancer Awareness & Screening Camps :
Marking International Women's Day, the Foundation sponsored several Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening & Awareness Camps organized by Tata Memorial Hospital's Dept. of Preventive Oncology under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Gauravi Mishra. Camps were held across Mumbai in the lower socio-economic & backward areas of Dharavi, Powai, Borivali, Colaba and Wadala.
Due to the high number of women found to have shown positive signs of developing Breast or Cervical Cancer in future, the health camps will continue to be conducted. The Foundation also pays for the treatment of the women diagnosed. A series of women’s cancer awareness talks by Medical Social Workers across low socio economic communities in Mumbai. Health talks on prevention and early detection of cervical, breast and oral cancers were delivered using Audio-visual medium with distribution of booklets and pamphlets in local languages in these communities. At the end of talk women were invited for screening at the Department of Preventive Oncology. Similar health talks were delivered in The Department of Preventive Oncology.
As part of the Conf a special session was held on “ ROLE OF NGOS AND CSR – BRIDGING GAPS AND REDUCING IN INEQUALITIES”. Mrs. Devieka Bhojwani, Vice-President, Womens Cancer Initiative- Tata Memorial Hospital was invited as a Speaker, along with Nihal Kaviratne, Founder, St Jude India ChildCare Centres, Rumana Hamied, Founder,CEO CIPLA Foundation , Harmala Gupta, Founder, CanSupport, R Venkataramanan, Managing Trustee, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Vandana Gupta, Founder, V Care.
Cervical Cancer Awareness & Screening Camps :
WCI Contributes to a Landmark Cervix Cancer Study with National and International Impact!
Tata Memorial Hospital has conducted a landmark study which involved screening women from economically weaker of the society for cervical cancer using a a simple intervention using acetic acid or vinegar. This study was presented at the plenary session in the Annual Americal Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting of 2013 at Chicago on 2nd June by Dr Surendra Shastri from the Preventive Oncology Department of Tata Memorial Hospital. The results showed that a 30% reduction in deaths due to cervical cancer could be achieved by using this simple technique in the hands of trained health care workers in the slums of Mumbai. The study received worldwide accolades including from the leaders of the international healthcare community. This programme is now being implemented across Maharashtra.
Women's Cancer Initiative was actively involved in supporting the curative treatment of women in this study who were found to have cervical cancer. It's important contribution to the success of this study was acknowledged by Dr Shastri at his ASCO Plenary presentation at Chicago.
The Department of Preventive Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital and WCI have partnered to conduct an Outreach Project on Early Detection of Common Cancers among the lower socio-economic women in India. This project started in 1997, has involved trials with 151598 women between the ages of 35 – 64 years.
Lavasa Awareness Camp 2010
A Free Cancer Screening camp for women - was conducted in Lavasa on 17th-18th Dec, 2010. The Camp was conducted by Women’s Cancer Initiative- Tata Memorial Hospital with ground support from Apollo Hospital at Lavasa. Over 400 women, from local villages and labour camps from the surrounding areas participated and were given Health Education on Oral, Breast & Cervical Cancers and were screened for the same. The camp received an over whelming response. Most of the women who participated had never had the opportunity to be examined by a doctor or ever spoken to about vital health issues that could affect their lives Devieka Bhojwani, Vice President of WCI -TMH along with a team of 10, comprising doctors, social workers and staff from Tata Memorial Hospital conducted the camp which was received with great interest and enthusiasm by all the women who attended.
Project: HIGHways...an ALL - INDIA Adventure expedition with a Mission
The foundation sponsored Project: Highways, a solo Drive across India, creating awareness and conducting health camps through cities, rural areas and tribal belts covering approximately 50,000 kms. in 6 months for which information material in regional languages was also published & other logistical assistance was rendered.
On April 1, 2006 the cross-country driving expedition, spearheaded by breast cancer survivor Dr. Ritu Joseph, accompanied by her daughter Tista Joseph & Vandana Natu a Breast Cancer survivor was flagged off from Tata Memorial Hospital, by actor Suniel Shetty & wife Mana Shetty amidst support from Dr. Dinshaw (Director TMH & President WCI-TMH), Dr. Rajan Badwe (Surgical Oncologist TMH), & Devieka Bhojwani (VP- WCI-TMH).