<p class="Normal" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10pt; line-height: 13pt; font-family: calibri, arial; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000;">Breast cancer poses a major health risk for women across the globe. Pakistan alone has the highest incidences of breast cancer across Asia. These numbers are only increasing owing to the hereditary nature of the disease. The survival rates of breast cancer patients in Pakistan are very low because the disease is generally detected in its advanced stages. This is because Pakistani women are hesitant about undergoing medical screening and shy away from sharing their medical concerns with their families and friends.</p><p class="Normal" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10pt; line-height: 13pt; font-family: calibri, arial; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000;">To help prevent deaths from breast cancer, The Aga Khan University Hospital has been celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month, throughout October 2016. As part of the campaign, the hospital launched an online quiz, challenging the website visitor’s knowledge about breast cancer; encouraged individuals to wear pink clothing (in support of the efforts to defeat breast cancer) every Friday in the month; conducted educational sessions at various colleges, universities and corporate offices about breast cancer and held a Health Awareness Session for the general public. The objective of these activities was to spread awareness about the importance of regular screening and how early detection can help in the timely treatment of breast cancer and save lives.</p><p class="Normal" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10pt; line-height: 13pt; font-family: calibri, arial; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000;">To mark the closing of the month-wide campaign, The Aga Khan University Hospital held a walk at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Sports and Rehabilitation Centre on 28 October 2016. Themed ‘Walk with Us in Pink’, a crowd of over 360 individuals; our very own survivors, doctors, nurses, technicians and administrative staff were joined by members of the general public who came from local schools and communities. The unity of the crowd brought forth the message that while breast cancer is tough, it is still beatable. The one-kilometre walk saw enthusiastic individuals march ahead with a cause and whilst the distance did not matter, what mattered was every step that was taken was in the effort to end breast cancer. The walk signified the participants support to encourage breast cancer patients in understanding that their sore muscles and blisters, as a consequence of chemotherapy and treatment, are a badge of courage and reminders of their brave perseverance.</p><p class="Normal" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10pt; line-height: 13pt; font-family: calibri, arial; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000;">At the end of the walk, the crowds gathered in heart-warming interactions with the hospital staff over refreshments. They expressed their delight and interest in such events and hoped these activities will be conducted in the future as well.</p><p class="Normal" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10pt; line-height: 13pt; font-family: calibri, arial; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000;">To view pictures from the event, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AKUHPakistan/photos/?tab=album&album_id=993002354139758
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