 | Dr Evelyn Ho helping to bring out lessons learnt from the group exercise on “communicating” a message |
Interactive Trainers’ Workshop for the Art of Self breast Awareness (Self Breast Examination Workshop) 5 July 2003
An interactive workshop on the art of imparting self breast awareness and teaching self breast examination techniques took place in Dewan Pantai, Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. The session complete with exercises lasted over 3 hours. Eighteen participants, consisting of members from the Breast Cancer Welfare Association and selected staff from the Pantai Medical Centre, Sunway Medical Centre and Johnson & Johnson Medical went through a pre-workshop questionnaire to start the ball rolling. Exercises to illustrate the various factors to be taken into consideration to help make their teaching more effective were the ‘highlights’ of the workshop.  | Participants were divided into small groups and with the aid of teaching models and pillows, taught self breast examination to each other. The participants acted as teacher, student, critic and busybody! |
The aim of the workshop was to help the participants gain confidence in teaching self breast examination and self breast awareness. The art of self breast awareness should be promoted as a positive proactive step towards ensuring one has healthy breasts. Although, one of the aims is to detect changes in the breasts and therefore possible cancerous lesions of the breasts, most lumps in the breasts are not cancer! Breast awareness is essential, if we are to detect breast cancer early. The National Cancer Registry 2002 report has confirmed that breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (30.4%). Those involved in the public awareness campaigns and teaching of self breast awareness are the ambassadors of breast health.  | Another activity to bring out the point that people are at a “lost” where to start in breast health awareness and also to show that communication should be clear in helping the “lost sheep” find their way. |  | Another group going through the motions of the
“feel” aspect of self breast awareness | | |
Some basic knowledge on the breast as well as the management of breast cancer in principle was imparted to the participants so that they could answer the questions of the general public whom they will be teaching. Participants were reminded that the teaching had to be positive and not create anxiety. It is to empower people with enough knowledge not to fear going to see the doctor, whenever they felt something was wrong with their breasts. The workshop is an ongoing commitment to the teaching of the art of imparting breast health awareness and is a collaboration between several bodies such as the College of Radiology, Johnson & Johnson Medical and National Council of Womens’ Organisations. Pantai Medical Centre was the gracious venue host for the event. | 
