Educating women about breast cancer is important but what is especially important is educating women police officers.
On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Delhi Police and the YouWeCan Foundation — an organisation which creates awareness about cancer — organised a camp to create awareness on breast cancer.
Educating women about breast cancer is important but what is especially important is educating women police officers. Working long hours and having hectic lifestyles, women constables often pay scant attention to health issues, especially breast cancer.
Around 200 women police personnel of Police Control Room (PCR) Unit, along with their families, underwent screening for the detection of breast cancer at the camp which started on Wednesday. The camp will then be repeated in various areas across the Capital.
"We generally forget to highlight the role of women constables in the police force but today on the occasion of Women's Day, we hail their work. They work so hard that they forget to take care of their health, so the force has taken up the challenge to initiate the 'Breast Cancer Screening and Gynaecological Examination' drive for all woman staff," said Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
The importance of such camps was highlighted with the case of Deep Mala. A 24-year-old woman constable, Mala — posted with the north-east district of Delhi Police — complained of pain in her breasts but chose to ignore it. It was after she attended the camp she became aware of the factors that cause breast cancer and various ways to detect it.
Shabnam Singh, mother of cricketer Yuvraj Singh, founder of the YouWeCan Foundation believes that cases like Mala's should not happen.
"Often, a woman is so busy handling her personal and professional life that she forgets to look after her health. Early detection is the key to cure cancer but first, we need to know the symptoms leading to this disease. Like my son, Yuvraj Singh, we all can fight cancer and lead a normal life," said.
Dr. Manasvi Behl, a doctor from YouWeCan Foundation, seconded Singh's words and said awareness about breast cancer was especially important.
"A lot of women in the force are not aware of breast cancer and think of it as mere tiredness after duty hours," said Behl. But such attitudes needed to be changed quickly. Among all cancers, breast cancer is the most common.
In India there is one female out of 28 women, who are at risk of developing breast cancer. Eighty per cent of breast cancers happen after the age 50. While we don't know what causes breast cancer, family history, infertility, not breast feeding, smoking, alcohol, obesity and inactive life styles are potential risk factors. Women should start clinical breast examination every three years in their 20s and 30s and thereafter a yearly examination is required," she added.
Despite the hectic work schedule of women personnel, Delhi police officers said they would try to reach out to all the female staff and look after their regular health checkups.
"We are further planning to conduct regular health checkups and look forward to spread awareness through police colonies. We are also looking forward to reaching out to all Delhi police woman staff so that they can have a healthier life, which will help them fulfil their duties better." said Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCP), PCR.
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