Hospital and horses joined forces like I’ve by no means seen earlier than on one Wednesday in October, at an occasion witnessed by a group wearing hues of pink.
This was in celebration of Pink October—Breast Cancer Consciousness Month—hosted by Prince Court Medical Centre at Kuala Lumpur Polo Membership (KLPC).
Visitors, gamers, and even the beautiful horses donned pink garments and equipment, serving appears to be like that my colleague described as “slay”.
It was a sight to behold, and behold I did because the occasion kicked off with a sport of polo.
For these unfamiliar with the game, a number of fast enjoyable details:
It’s one of many world’s oldest recognized workforce sports activities
It’s been known as “the sport of kings”
Initially performed by Persian the Aristocracy, it’s in the present day performed by excessive society globally
Prince Court Medical Centre and KLPC confronted off in a pleasant sport, and although competitors was fierce, KLPC in the end emerged victorious.
Maybe fiercer although have been the tales from survivors of breast cancer, who took the stage and shared how they took again management of their lives.
From their tales, a number of issues have been clear: We want heaps extra breast cancer consciousness and schooling in Malaysia, and there are nonetheless many misconceptions floating round.
To sort out these, a number of docs stepped as much as the stage as effectively. Listed below are some myths about breast cancer that they masterfully broke down.
Fable #1: Genetics are the principle reason behind breast cancer
Sadly, Dr. Harjit Kaur, Advisor Breast & Endocrine Surgeon at Prince Court Medical Centre, stated that solely 10% of breast cancer instances will be traced again to genetics.
Scarily, we nonetheless don’t know what causes the remaining 90% of instances, as many sufferers do reside wholesome existence and don’t have any household historical past of breast cancer.
Fable #2: Males don’t get breast cancer
Whereas over one in 10 ladies account for brand new cancer diagnoses yearly, males are a part of the general statistic too. It’s discovered that males make up about 1% of breast cancer diagnoses.
So, whether or not you’re a person who suspects you’re prone to getting breast cancer or just wish to be on the secure aspect, listed below are some signs to look out for.
Fable #3: Solely older ladies are in danger
Youthful ladies can get breast cancer too. Dr. Harjit stated that the common age of breast cancer sufferers as of late are of their 30s or 40s.
This makes it all of the extra necessary that youthful ladies go for well being check-ups the place early detection is feasible. Getting a head begin on medical insurance could be good too, as it may assist with one’s monetary state of affairs in the event that they’re nonetheless younger of their profession.
One thing to notice as effectively is that youthful ladies with breast cancer don’t face the identical challenges as older ladies with the analysis. For instance, remedy can have an effect on fertility, and youthful ladies below remedy can truly be pushed into menopause, in keeping with Dr. Harjit.
Fable #4: A breast cancer analysis is a dying sentence
Perhaps it as soon as was, however not anymore. With early screening and well timed remedy, breast cancer is changing into extra continual than terminal, Dr. Harjit stated. “More people are living with cancer than dying from it,” she summed up.
And talking of remedy…
Fable #5: A mastectomy is the one solution to forestall recurring breast cancer
Dr. Melissa Tan, Advisor Breast & Oncoplastic Surgeon at Prince Court Medical Centre set the report straight, saying that the removing of breasts don’t essentially enhance total survival of a affected person.
“Removing the whole breast is no better than the lump surgery that conserves breast tissue (lumpectomy),” she stated.
“There are now technologies to remove larger lumps while conserving the remaining breast tissue, plus a lot more techniques.”
Native remedy (like focused surgical procedure), systemic remedy (like chemotherapy), and even novel therapies (these within the early a part of medical testing) are all choices that may forestall breast cancer from coming again, with out the removing of your entire breast.
Fable #6: Preventing breast cancer is a lonely journey
Experiencing a way of isolation after a breast cancer analysis (and even profitable remedy) is claimed to be frequent, and among the survivors on the Pink Polo occasion stated the identical.
Nevertheless it doesn’t truly need to be that method, as a result of there are a number of sturdy communities on the market stuffed with survivors who’ve gone by comparable trials.
Domestically, now we have Breast Cancer Welfare Affiliation Malaysia (BCWA) and Nationwide Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM), for instance.
And from what I noticed on the day of the occasion, these ladies’s tight bonds with each other aren’t to be messed with.
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At the beginning of the occasion, Ms Sumitra Selvaraj, Public Relations & Partnerships Supervisor of BCWA stated one thing that caught with me to the top:
This 12 months has been report breaking for all of the improper causes, as a result of we’ve been detecting increasingly instances.
However maintain your horses.
This isn’t one thing that’s dangerous per se, as a result of it implies that extra individuals are getting screened and examined, and as talked about in level #4, early screening and remedy be certain that a analysis is now not a dying sentence.
Though Pink October could also be over by the time this text is out, there’s no proper or improper time to teach oneself about all issues breast cancer.
You might even be eligible to get free breast cancer screening by organisations like BCWA, so why not take this as an indication to schedule a screening someday quickly?
Be taught extra about Prince Court Medical Centre right here.
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All Pictures Credit score: Vulcan Submit
