One morning you woke up and one female member of your family, can be wife, sister, daughter or mother complains of a lump in the breast , you go to the doctor and finds lump malignant with third or fourth stage of disease – and the nightmare begins.

The question is why so late? Why we can not take preventive measures at an early stage to stop this dreadful disease from spreading further in the entire body. Although with tremendous advancement in medical science the deadly disease still haunts lot many females in our society all over the Pakistan.

The issue of breast cancer is painfully close to many people's hearts. There is little that can assuage the fear these words can bring. And although treatment breakthroughs can be encouraging, as of today there is no guaranteed cure for the disease. Breast cancer is not only lethal but also commonest cancer that’s killing females in Pakistan and across the Pakistan ( 2nd most around in the USA) 2,600,00 women in the United States are living with breast cancer. Breast cancer occurrence continues to rise. In 1960, 1 in 30 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. In 1996, 1 in 8 were diagnosed with the disease and this percentage increasing gradually till today.

Death rate for breast cancer has actually risen in the last decade. To bring awareness among the distressed women folk about this dreadful disease is dire need of the time. Female irrespective of their class and category are dying with out having a slightest idea about the silent killer. Proper knowledge and health education must be inculcated among them to confront and ward off the danger.

Surveys shows that only at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital at least on daily basis two or three patients come in the out patient department, with a lump in Breast. Shaukat Khanam cancer Hospital is one hospital that receives cancer patients from all around the country, from both remote and posh areas.

According to their data collection department the incidence of breast cancer is on rise, and its not limited to post menopausal females, even young females , early twenties and late twenties are coming to them with this deadly disease. With in last five years of all the cancer cases that have been reported in this institute , 25% have been of breast cancer. Alarming high percentage as compared all other cancers, another disturbing aspect is that out of the 3000 patients coming with the complaints of breast cancer 42 have been male patients.

Therefore MALE can’t be labeled SAFE. If one keeps in view the present incidence the only in the year 2002, more than 35000 females should report to only Shaukat Khanum Hospital with Breast Cancer. And mind it , this is one institute we are talking about, all the other tertiary Hospitals of Pakistan are not being taken into account. So far Government and media have failed to play a protagonist role in bringing about women health issues.

In view of the foregoing glooming scenario and to save the precious lives of mothers of the nation our organization WEG (Women Empowerment Group) decided in 2003 to create awareness in the society by launching “Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign”. The overall objective of the organization is to improve the quality of life of women folk. Almost every one knows someone whose life has been affected by a breast cancer diagnosis or that of a loved one.

The Pink Ribbon site provides a feel good way to help promote awareness and prevent breast cancer deaths every day. The pink ribbon is the symbol for breast cancer awareness invented in 1991 by Evelyn H. Lauder, found & president of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Alexandra Penney, then-editor of Self Magazine. Lauder says, "The ribbon stands for awareness”. And it stands for the sisterhood that will help women to survive - and conquer- this disease.