History & Rationale for support

Breast Cancer in Pakistan

Pakistan has the highest rate of Breast Cancer amongst all Asian countries. The numbers are alarming as every 9th woman in Pakistan is at high risk of getting Breast Cancer at some point in her life, leading to over 40,000 deaths every year.

Pink Ribbon Pakistan took it upon itself to address this grave issue. Pink Ribbon Campaign Pakistan is a project of Women Empowerment Group (WEG). WEG is a non-profit, non-governmental organization registered as a Trust; aiming to accelerate the process of socio-economic development and empowerment of unprivileged segments of the society at grass roots level without any ethnic, racial or religious discrimination.

Pink Ribbon Campaign Pakistan aims at imparting awareness about the high danger of breast cancer in Pakistani women. But on the other hand we face major challenges of illiteracy, misconceptions and social stigmas; lack of medical and infrastructure facilities and women’s rights violation in our society. We met huge resistance in making people realize the prevalent dangers of breast cancer that can prove fatal for women.

From 2004 to date, we have succeeded in finding Government’s support, developing strategic alliances, networking with women groups and securing youth’s collaboration. Our campaign has also been recognized as a major component of many Corporate Social Responsibility programs. We also enjoy the favor of national and international media in sending our voice to people at large. The wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan showed great support to our campaign by becoming its Chairperson for two years. Pink Ribbon has also managed to include Breast Cancer in the Reproductive Health Package of Ministry of Health and is in the process of facilitating setting up of a National Cancer Registry.

The unique services provided by the Pink Ribbon Campaign range from awareness campaigns to Free Mammography and Mobile Screening Bus facility, provided to our women at their doorsteps. Over 700 women have already been screened free of cost through this project since it first started in March 2009. These achievements brought us recognition and appreciation from across the country including support from general masses, the government, NGOs, civil society, corporate sector of Pakistan, media, great support of students and charity of the benevolent people in the country.

In 2009 alone, Pink Ribbon boasts of empowering over 90,000 women with knowledge and techniques to detect Breast Cancer at an early stage. It has also provided free clinical examination to 5,000 women through expert doctors. But perhaps what stands out in all achievements is the fact that there has been a 30% increase in turn up at Breast Cancer Clinics nationwide since Pink Ribbon Campaign first started in Pakistan.

Thanking for the response received so far, we would like to forward that the same support of Pakistani society is needed for continuing this battle against breast cancer. Breast cancer is curable for sure and the best protection is the early detection, otherwise it is fatal. So, please do understand the danger and help us in helping you diagnose it and fight it on earlier stages.

Rationale

The campaign has observed that some of the common factors of breast cancer include early menarche, late menopause, no breast feeding, no or late pregnancy and dietary factors. In Pakistan, though, the role of BRCA (breast cancer) genes, relating to a positive family history, is becoming more apparent. This could be one of the reasons that younger females, early twenties and late twenties are pouring in with the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

Least realization of women’s rights

In Pakistan 75 percent of breast cancer patients may die in five years if no treatment is given to them and rest of the 25 percent would die in the next five years.  In a country like Pakistan, where 43% of the population is living below the poverty line, unable to meet the needs of food, clothing and shelter, the treatment of breast cancer ranges from no treatment to quick mutilating resection. Thus breast cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women in Pakistan. Majority of the families either find themselves unable to go for the treatment or had to discontinue it at any stage due to the financial stress associated with it.

Secondly, women consider it their duty to sacrifice for their families without realizing their own rights. They always tend to save expenses on their personal lives. Thus, they themselves ignore the treatment of breast cancer due to the financial expenses.

Socio-Economic Status (SES) and survival rate

Strong association has been noted between low SES and advanced breast cancer, delay in diagnosis, limited access to Minimal Expected Treatment (MET) and inferior Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). On the other hand, almost all rural women and a large percentage of women of urban lower income families are directly involved in income generation for the family. The family income is thus tangibly affected if the health of women is not assured.

Reproductive health

Not having children or late motherhood tends to increase the possibility of breast cancer. Women who have their first child after the age of 30 or who have never had children run a slightly higher risk for contracting breast cancer than do women who give birth before reaching age 30. Young women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer face serious consequences to their reproductive health. It is estimated that one in 3,000 pregnancies are complicated by breast cancer. However, newly diagnosed breast cancer in pregnancy, has no immediate effect on the fetus as breast cancer cells do not pass from the mother to the fetus.

Presently, abortion, miscarriage and the use of birth control pills are also being researched for any association with the risk for CA Breast. However, the link still remains unproven, requiring further research in this area.

Breast feeding

Multiple studies have demonstrated that breast feeding is associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. In addition, the longer a woman breast feeds the better are her chances of cancer protection. Breast feeding protects the baby from various diseases, and is a source of natural birth spacing. However, there is evidence that breast feeding is on the decline in many developing countries. In 1991-92, a nationwide survey was conducted in Pakistan to collect baseline health information on a variety of maternal and child health issues; results indicated that preference for breast feeding was on a rapid decline.

Marital relationship—-A bond to keep

For victims of breast cancer, it involves more than just physical sickness, patients and their families often suffer the psychological consequences too. It severely impacts women’s personal lives and relationships, making them feel that they cannot perform wifely acts and the disease has strong effect on sexuality. This problem is particularly pronounced in the Pakistani culture and society where relationships are so powerfully governed by social norms and rules. An increase in divorce rate amongst women who are diagnosed with breast cancer has also been observed. Thus, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer not only need physical treatment but they also need the psychological and emotional support.