PINK RIBBON CAMPAIGN 2018 CELEBRATING ELEVEN POSITIVELY EVENTFUL YEARS

TENTH EDITION, PINK RIBBON WALK, HYDERABAD – SUN. 30 SEPT @ 6 30 am, KBR PARK

THIRD EDITION, PINK RIBBON WALK, WARANGAL - THU. 04 OCT @ 6 30 AM, KAKATIYA MEDICAL COLLEGE

FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENING FOR JOURNALISTS & THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES

EIGHTH EDITION OF ‘PAINT THE CITY PINK’ CAMPAIGN – SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2018

DR. USHALAKSHMI’S THIRD PINK RIBBON TOURNAMENT - ALL WOMEN’S SPORTING TOURNAMENT IN SUPPORT OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS,

SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER 2018, ORO SPORTS VILLAGE

MESSAGE FROM RADHA KANTIPUDI, A YOUNG BREAST CANCERCONQUEROR - ‘BREAST CANCER DOES NOT MEAN MASTECTOMY….BREAST CANCER DOES NOT MEAN END OF LIFE’

MESSAGE FROM DR USHALAKSHMI, BREAST CANCER ‘CONQUEROR’ &FOUNDER CHAIRMAN, USHALAKSHMI BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION - ‘INSTEAD OF OR IN ADDITION TO BUYING A SAREE DURING THE UPCOMING DUSSERA FESTIVAL, PLEASE GIFT YOUR LOVED ONE A SCREENING MAMMOGRAM – EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES’

October is world over recognized as International Breast cancer Awareness month. Established in 2007, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation (UBF) & KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases has completed ELEVEN positively eventful years serving the Community in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. Through the consistent innovative & pioneering initiatives of the Foundation, Breast cancer is no longer a ‘closet issue’ in this region – it is a much commonly discussed topic, thus bringing about the much-needed awareness resulting in more lives being saved.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, Chief advisor to Ushalalakshmi Breast cancer Foundation outlined the various innovative and unique initiatives being organized by the Foundation in October. He highlighted details relating to South Asia’s largest population-based Breast cancer Screening Programme that was undertaken by the Foundation in partnership with Governments of Telangana and AP between 2012 – 2017 that has benefitted

over 200, 000 underprivileged women across 15 districts in both States.

Dr. P. Raghu Ram, Padma Shri awardee, CEO, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation, Director, KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases said, “to win the War on Breast cancer, women of all ages must report to their doctor if there are any new changes noticed in the breast. All women must get an annual screening mammogram from the age of 40 and

emphasized the importance of early detection in saving lives.”

Mr. Faisal Uddin Sr. Vice President, International Operations & Business Leader Asia - Synchrony said “ We are honored to partner with Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation & participate in Pink Ribbon Walk as PRINCIPAL PARTNER, which is aimed to scale-up the effort to create awareness about Breast Cancer and help women lead a healthy and fulfilling life.”

Mr. Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for Telangana & AP said that “Since 2012, The British Deputy High Commission has been standing shoulder to shoulder with Dr. Raghu Ram and Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation to create awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.” He applauded the many initiates being

undertaken by the Foundation over the past eleven years to spread the message of hope, courage, and determination in the fight against cancer.

Radha Kantipudi, a young breast cancer ‘conqueror’ narrated her experience in the fight against breast cancer. She was against having mastectomy despite being diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy before the operation and subsequently underwent Breast-conserving surgery (wide excision - lumpectomy) using oncoplastic techniques that helped restore the shape of her breast. She emphasized that with good counseling and care provided by her treating doctor, Dr. Raghu Ram, and her team, she has had an excellent cosmetic outcome. On this occasion, she emphasized that women diagnosed with breast cancer should not feel that removal of the breast is the only option and that diagnosis of breast cancer does not mean the end of life. She said that she visited some of the best centers in the world for her treatment. However, she eventually zeroed down to getting treated here in Hyderabad as facilities and expertise could be compared to the best in the World.

THE PINK RIBBON WALK, which has now become a benchmark SIGNATURE annual event in Hyderabad would be flagged off on Sunday 30 Sept. 2018 at 6 30 Am @ KBR Park. The aims of the Walk are to create awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer, salute survivors and their families in their fight against breast cancer & most importantly to spread the message of Hope, Courage, and Survival in the fight against breast cancer.

In an effort to demonstrate the power of PINK (a colour that represents breast cancer awareness & salute breast cancer survivors), Charminar, Buddha Statue, Ravindra Bharati, Legislative Assembly, Prasads Imax, GMR Airport, Synchrony, KIMS Hospital & many other prominent buildings in the City will be illuminated in PINK for a record EIGHTH consecutive year on same day of the Walk – Sunday 30 September 2018 to mark the beginning of International Breast Cancer Awareness month. Hyderabad is the ONLY city in South Asia to have so many prominent buildings illuminated in PINK, year after year, to demonstrate forcefully, the power of the PINK RIBBON CAMPAIGN.

For the third consecutive year, Oro Sports Village is standing ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation in organizing the THIRD Dr. Ushalakshmi Pink Ribbon Tournament, a unique & powerful Women’s Sporting Tournament in an endeavour to create awareness about importance of early detection of breast cancer during the International Breast Cancer Awareness month @ Oro Sports Village on Sun.28 October 2018.

About 600 women from Schools, Colleges & Corporates will be participating in multiple Sporting events, like never before. There would also be a Back tie dinner being to raise funds & create awareness about early detection.

In India, well over 150, 000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year; a staggering number that has overtaken cervical cancer to become the most common cancer affecting women. More than 70% present in advanced stages due to lack of awareness and absence of a population-based screening programme. Contrary to the western world where breast cancer is common after the age of 50 years, the highest incidence of breast cancer in India is between the ages of 30-50 years; at least a decade earlier! More than 70, 000 women succumb to breast cancer every year - a woman dies of breast cancer every ten minutes in India.

Dr. P. Raghu Ram

MS, FRCS (Edin), FRCS (Eng), FRCS (Glasg), FRCS (Irel), FACS

Padma Shri Awardee (2015)

CEO & Director, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation, Hyderabad

Director, KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases, Hyderabad

Mobile: 09849991405