At the Times Network Health Summit 2025, panelists were invited to discuss on the pressing issue of breast cancer and to focus on advancing breast cancer care. The session couldn't have been held at a more important time than now, as October is also the month of breast cancer awareness. For the same experts from various fields were invited, including Anchal Sharma, a cancer survivor and social entrepreneur, founder of Canheal, a support group offering various services and resources to cancer patients; Dr Shyam Aggarwal, Chairperson Oncology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital; Dr Geeta Kadayaprath, Oncoplastic breast surgeon, and senior consultant and lead of Surgical Oncology at Apollo Athenaa Women's Cancer Centre; and Vishali Iyer, country head, communications, patient advocacy, CSR and business excellence & execution at Novartis. The session was moderated by Kalpana Sharma, Lifestyle and Health Editor, Times Now. From A Survivor's POVSharma shared that she was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, during the time of her brother's wedding. This is why she continued hiding the news for 22 days, until all the functions were over. Learning from her own journey and struggles she founded Canheal, where people attend workshop from all over the places. "We do not just focus on building a community outside hospital, but also to decrease financial burden," she said.She also shares the importance of such community, as it helps people who come from not so well-to-do backgrounds. Sharma speaks of a 27-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time. Such people benefit from such communities. Are People Aware Enough?Dr Aggarwal said that when it comes to awareness, early diagnosis is utmost. "Not going for screenings makes one more vulnerable to breast cancer," he said. Dr Aggarwal also pointed out that while the guidelines recommend women above the age of 40 to be screened once in two years, less than 2% of women are actually getting screened. While, in contrast to this, in the US, the number is 80% and in the UK it is 70%. "Awareness is there, but the implementation is not. This is why many women come to doctors at a much later stage in their cancer," he said.Patriarchy Is An Obstacle In Breast Cancer AwarenessDr Kadayaprath also pointed out that it is not just the stigma or the lack of awareness, but also denial of the disease and patriarchy that play a big role. "Women often do not get a chance to express themselves, they are the sole pillar around which the entire household works. So when there is a lump, if it is painless, she continues to do whatever she does," she points out. Dr Kadayaprath also says that of all the top 10 priorities a woman has, her health comes at 11th, which also prevents her from talking about it. She also warns people of the misinformation on social media, which usually makes it to the audience based on their relatability. "You only listen to things you want to accept. So, if someone is saying that biopsy spreads cancer, you will not get it done."A New Language Of AwarenessIyer brings an interesting point by stating that cancer journey is not just about telling people what to do, but also in the way you approach their journeys. She agrees with Sharma that no two cancer patients have the same journey, thus she says, "we must be careful of the language we use. We must know when to use medical terminology and when to listen to the patients fear" to ensure that the support is extended in right manner.
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