| Rosa Ho is shows Bathmavathi Krishnan how to feel for “lumps” in
a teaching breast model | 
| One for the album! Some participants of the workshop together with Dr Evelyn Ho and facilitators | 
| Dr Evelyn Ho with a participant (Mdm Lim) to demonstrate the full extent of the breast on the chest wall | 
| Wong Mee Yee, assisting a participant in the hands on session on how to feel/examine one’s own breasts | 
| Ms Kwan explains fundamentals of effective self examination technique to participants from Beautiful Gate Foundation in the breakout session | 
| The participants having a good laugh during the workshop’s “light-hearted” approach to breast health | 
| Participant literally “trying their hand” at feeling for changes in the breasts in the teaching breast models | 
| Questions were encouraged to make the session truly interactive | 
| Exercise time? Not quite, as the participants are asked to go through the motions as if they are observing their breasts in the mirror! |
Breast Health Workshop with a Difference, Petaling Jaya – 6 September 2008
By Dr Evelyn Ho On 6th September 2008 afternoon, Dr Evelyn Ho, a consultant clinical radiologist by profession and President of the College of Radiology, conducted a breast health workshop to unravel the “myths” of the breasts, imparting tips and tricks of effective self breast examination built upon a foundation of knowing enough about the breasts to understand normal physiological changes. There were 61 participants at the workshop. However, unlike all the previous workshops Dr Ho had conducted, this was different as it was the first time, people with disabilities (PWDs) were invited and encouraged to attend!
Previously men used to be the “forgotten” lot in breast health activities but men are heads of households in Asia and therefore wield great influence on the womenfolk. Men were also not immune to breast cancer. Since the College of Radiology began its community role in breast health (in 2001), men have always been included in the messages. Now, yet another strata of the population were being included in the breast health campaigns and these are PWDs. The College of Radiology (CoR) programmes tend to target all including specific groups every year. Last year, children were included in the cancer awareness programme whilst in 2008-2009, the specific focus group would be PWDs.
This initiative began as a discussion over the need for People with Disabilities (PWDs) to be included in health promotion between Mary Chen, Editor of Challenges magazine and Dr Evelyn Ho. Paradoxically, people with disabilities (PWDs) were often taken for granted as it was assumed their medical and health needs were well taken care off along with their conditions or they may perhaps, have to deal with their primary problem leaving little time or energy for other aspects of health care.
However, this was apparently a healthcare myth, as like anyone else PWDs are also at risk of cancer, yet may not be aware of or provided with appropriate healthcare information. Like anyone else, they should be included in all health promotion activities including breast health awareness.
Mary Chen emphasised that those with disabilities also need to know where they can go for mammograms, attend workshops or have workshops organised where they can access the educational programmes. Women in wheelchairs need to know where they can go for a mammogram!
Ms Bathmavathi Krishnan, Pro-tem President of the Association of Women with Disabilities, Malaysia, welcomed the effort to include PWDs as no one had thought of it before. There were also 5 ladies from Beautiful Gate Foundation; the youngest was only 13 years old and needed assistance whilst even in a wheelchair.
Some participants came with expectations of a serious workshop, and they were pleasantly surprised at the “light-hearted” approach to dispel fear and anxiety in the process of empowering themselves with enough knowledge to help them take charge of their own breast health. There was much laughter during the workshop as information was dished out in easy to understand examples.
It was refreshing and encouraging to see 18 year old Shivanand Sivamohan as a participant in this workshop so that he could equip himself for voluntary work with the Breast Cancer Welfare Association during Pink October 2008. He was happy to have been made aware of some of the physical and psychosocial issues involving the breasts.
The 61 workshop participants were from various walks of life, young and old including those who have had breast cancer, those with disabilities (on wheelchairs or were mobile with the aid of a walker) and healthcare professionals. The interactive session provided two-way learning for the one conducting the workshop and those attending the workshop. Even the facilitators were challenged as this was the first time for them dealing with people who might not be fully mobile or partly weak in the arms or legs.
Ms Kwan Yau Oi, a senior radiographer and trained volunteer was initially stumped when faced with a participant who had a weak arm. She had to quickly think of a way, modified from the standard principles to help this participant find a technique that would overcome her arm weakness. It was also a learning experience for Ms Kwan!
The feedback from the participants were most encouraging as most of them felt they had been energised and motivated with regard taking charge of their breast health, and learning the effective way to examine their own breasts. More than 90% felt they had achieved these goals. They also found the hands on session useful.
The workshop was made possible with support from Megah Medical Specialists Group Sdn Bhd (venue sponsor), volunteers from the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (Barbara Khoo, Wong Mee Yee, Ang Siew Lan, Tham Lai Chee, Soo Jok Hua), Rosa Ho, Francis Lee (for IT support and photography) and of course Mary Chen who mobilised PWDs to attend the breast health workshop. The event was jointly organised by the College of Radiology, Challenges and Megah Medical Specialists Group Sdn Bhd (MMSG).
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