..::CoR BCAC Launch::..

College of Radiology Launches 2003 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign – 2 Sep 2003

A Press Launch was organized on the 2 Sep 2003 to announce the College of Radiology’s 2003 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Partners in prevention, collaborators, friends and supporters were invited to the launch. Activities for this year, includes an educational campaign as well breast awareness workshops (ongoing), an art competition in Dasein Academy of Art, Subsidised Mammogram Programme in Kuantan, Pahang and Radiology Malaysia Champ Quiz 2003 online contest.

The event was graced and officiated by Ms Ranjit Kaur, President of Reach to Recovery International which is a breast cancer support network. She is the first Malaysian to be president of this organization.

To emphasise the role of collaboration and to ensure a holistic education is promoted, invited speakers included Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har, Consultant Surgeon, University Malaya Medical Centre, and Dr Mohd Ibrahim Abdul Wahid, Consultant Clinical Oncologist of the College of Radiology. The College of Radiology consists of Radiologist, Medical Physicists and Clinical Oncologists/Radiotherapists. It therefore sees to early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer and the radiological staging while the oncologists see to the treatment of the cancer (non surgical aspects) – the chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Dr Evelyn Ho, Editor of the Radiology Malaysia Homepage and also the Breast Health/Cancer Awareness Programme Coordinator gave a walk-through the website.

The Press Conference held at the end of the launch proved interesting. The pros and cons of a national screening programme was discussed including why it was currently not national policy as yet. For mass screening to work, the “uptake” of invited eligible ladies should be 70-80%. Since the 40-69 year age group was still a very busy period for ladies, and that Asian women still tend to put their family’s needs before theirs, it will need much more education before women will come forward for screening even such a programme existed. In fact in urban areas, currently only about 1-5% of the breast cancers were picked up by mammogram, at the very earliest stages where the chance of cure was greatest.

A new “tagline“ might be in the making since early detection saves lives, saves money and also saves time!

In the meantime, there was also an exhibition of how to sew your own “fibre breast prosthesis” by the ladies of the Breast Cancer Welfare Association. A booth with teaching breast models as well as one for Crony lingerie (one of the College’s partners in prevention) was also present. The Radiology Malaysia Champ Quiz 2003 Prizes were also displayed. Dasein Academy of Art showcased their design work, in relation to breast cancer awareness collaterals.

All in all it was quite an enjoyable launch set in an informal and festive atmosphere with pink balloons, streamers and ribbons. This was to promote the celebration of wellness which comes with being breast aware!


BCAC Volunteer Kevin hard at work putting together the Media Kit!	College of Radiology President, Dr Sathya hands a token of appreciation to Dr Ibrahim

From L to R: Lim Adam, Director of Meditel – sponsor of the Press Launch Event; Dr Ibrahim Wahid – Clinical Oncologist, College of Radiology and Dr P. Sathyamoorthy, President of the College of Radiology	Friends, supporters, collaborators and partners in prevention made up the audience, and of course the Media! Notice the carnival atmosphere with pink ribbons, pink balloons and streamers!

From L to R: The Guest of Honour, Ms Ranjit Kaur, President of Reach To Recovery International, Dr Evelyn Ho and Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har, Consultant Surgeon	Ms Ranjit, President of Reach to Recovery International delivers her speech

Margaret Too of the College of Radiology’s Secretariat packing the kit for guests. She is wearing the Campaign Tshirt, sponsored and designed by Anakku and Audrey International	Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har, a guest speaker at the Press Launch delivered an interesting paper on “understanding the profile of a Malaysian woman with breast cancer”

A group photo of all the partners in prevention including the CEOs of Pantai Medical Bangsar, Pantai Cheras Medical Centre, Sunway Medical Centre, Microsoft Malaysia, Meditel, Dasein Academy of Art, Dr Suma of Kinta Medical Centre, Ipoh, Crony Lingerie, Abex Medical System, Dr Ednin of Hospis Malaysia, Richmatt Holdings, NTV7diPihak Anda, Mrs June Yeoh of the National Council of Women’s Organisations, Osim, GE Medical Systems & Anakku

The lovely ladies who sat and sewed and demonstrated the DIY of a “fibre padding” for insertion into the bras of women who have had mastectomies (removal of one whole breast)	Margaret Gooi of the Breast Cancer Welfare Association explains to the students of Dasein Academy of Art the technique of self breast examination

The Dasein Academy of Art Students putting up their exhibits!	The Dasein Academy of Art students with their Art Director, Herbie Phoon (front row, far left)

Crony as promoted by Ms Sharifah and friends was a new comer to the breast cancer awareness campaign and brought their paraphernalia to showcase fine quality women’s inner garments. The special technology was that of a “liquid carmine” padding brassiere!	Barbara and Margaret of the Breast Cancer Welfare Association “manning” the booth for Breast Health Awareness
	Dr Sathya presenting a certificate of appreciation to Intan, Producer of NTVdiPihak Anda for outstanding coverage on the topic of breast cancer in selected NTV7diPihak Anda’s segments for the months of August and September 2003. Syabas!