Male Support of Breast Cancer Screening for Women: First Training Workshop for Service Providers for Women’s Health – 16-19 Nov 2006
By Dr Evelyn Ho 30 participants from all over Malaysia attended the inaugural training workshop for service providers for Women’s Health in Sri Acapella, Shah Alam from the 16-19 Nov 2006. The organiser was the National Council Of Women’s Organisations (NCWO).There were 7 men amongst the ladies who represented their respective state’s Family Planning Associations as well as some others from a myriad other organisations, such as the Soroptimist International Kuantan, Wanita Umno, Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu/Reach to Recovery Group, Sarawak Breast Cancer Support Group, National Population & Family Development Board, and even an school Alumni association in Kedah! This Training Workshop was officially launched by Yg Bahagia Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabuddin, President of the National Council of Women’s Organisations and who is also the Vice Chancellor of University Kebangsaan Malaysia. After she spoke to the audience, Mr Julio Andy Andrews , the Asia Foundation representative delivered his short message. Mr John Latham, Managing Director of Pfizer (M) Sdn Bhd followed with positive and encouraging words that will materialise – that this training programme will spread to the rest of Asia and even to the world. It was, as far as he knew, the first training programme targeted at men to bring life saving breast health messages to the women, including how to teach other males to provide support to their wives/partners, mothers or sisters as well as encourage pro-active early detection habits. 
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| Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabuddin | Mr Julio Andy Andrews | Mr John Latham |
The opening and introduction was followed by tea to ensure the participants would be able to last the next 4 hours with the Experts’ Session. The first day would finish at 10pm! The opening was followed by presentations – Prof Yip Cheng Har (University Malaya Medical Centre) on Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Malaysia; Dr Evelyn Ho (College of Radiology) on Breast Health & Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Options; Ms Ranjit Kaur (Breast Cancer Welfare Association) on Reach to Recovery and Supportive Care in Breast Cancer; Ms Adeline Joseph (Resource and Wellness Centre, National Cancer Society of Malaysi) on A Caregiver’s Role From the Perspective of a Breast Cancer Survivor; Yg Bhg Dato’Saleha Hashim (Kanser Network) on Breast Cancer Education; Ms Raja Lexshimi (Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) on Information Needs of Breast Cancer Survivors and Ms Dee Sidhu (Amanita) for After-Care and Support. The next 3 days was a structured workshop following the training manual with specific objectives, procedures and expected outcomes. The modules were focussed on: Why Us? How Then? What If? But Then...and ending with Men Care! The participants actively participated in the various aspects and exercises during the workshop. The workshop objectives was to obtain support and involvement of partner agencies for the project “Male Support of Breast Cancer Screening for Women” and to empower representatives of partner agencies to be master trainers in order to effectively disseminate and integrate key concepts and messages on male support for early breast cancer detection and timely management in their own programs/work using the project’s “A Training Manual for Service Providers of Women and Health Care Organisations” as a guide. This NCWO project was sponsored by Asia Foundation and Pfizer. The partners and resource persons included Dr Evelyn Ho (President, College of Radiology), Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har (Consultant Surgeon, University Malaya Medical Centre), Ms Dee Sidhu (Founder, Amanita), Ms Ranjit Kaur (President, Breast Cancer Welfare Association), Dr Saunthari Somasundram (Executive Director, National Cancer Society of Malaysia), Dr Mazalan Kamis (Asst Director, Education Policy Planning & Research Division, Ministry of Education), Dr Gurcharan Singh Khera (President, Malaysian Oncological Society) and Dr Vicknesh Welluppillai (Corporate Affairs/Senior Physician, Pfizer (M) Sdn Bhd); Yg Bhg Dato’ Ramani Gurusamy (Deputy President, NCWO), June Yeoh (Committee Member, NCWO), Julio A. Andrews (Representative, Asia Foundation), Herizal Hazri (Senior Programme Specialist, The Asia Foundation) and Azwar Kamaruddin (Corporate Manager, Pfizer (M) Sdn Bhd). The workshop facilitators were Dr Ang Eng Suan, the NCWO Project Consultant, Khoo Swee Kheng, NCWO Project Co-writer of Manual, Barbara Khoo (Secretary, Breast Cancer Welfare Association), Piaro Kaur, NCWO Health Commission and June Yeoh, NCWO Executive Committee. |
