VIJAYAWADA: Every year, 1.5 lakh new breast cancer cases are detected and around 70,000 women die of it in India. To highlight this alarming rise in the incidence of breast cancer, the Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation (UBF) in collaboration with Andhra Hospitals and the State Bank of India organised a Pink Ribbon Walk here at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Statdium on Sunday.
The two-km walk ws flagged off by Tollywood actor Sumanth and city police commissioner Gautam Sawang. This is the first of its kind walk organised in the city to make people aware of the rising problem of beast cancer. Speaking on the occasion, director and CEO of the foundation P Raghuram stressed the need to increase awareness among women on breast cancer and underlined that early detection could save many lives.
Pointing out that Vijayawada is transforming into a vibrant city in every way, he said it was equally important that citizens lead a healthy lifestyle.
Gautam Sawang, in his address, said the police department was equally keen on promoting a healthy society. The police commissionerate will play a proactive role to move ahead in that direction, he said. All the commissionerate employees participated in the walk. Sawang also suggested that educational institutions should organise regular awareness programmes to sensitise the student community about breast cancer in the interests of their future.
Actor Sumanth expressed happiness over participating in the event. He admitted that the very word cancer had carried with it the fear factor when he was in his teens. With the development of technology, it is now possible to overcome any type of cancer, he added.
The students of various colleges, nursing staff and many other officials participated in the walk. The UBF has been organising the Pink Ribbon campaign for the last nine years in Hyderabad and other metropolitan cities.
To mark the International Breast Cancer Awareness month, UBF is organising various programmes this month.
The walk will be organised every year in Vijayawada from here on.