1 in 10 women are prone to breast cancer; 1-2 percent of the total breast cancer cases are males

HCG Manavata Cancer Center, Nashik celebrated the second edition of Pink-Mela, Carnival for a Cause, a flagship project for raising awareness for Breast Cancer. This year, the celebration of Pink Mela was a notch higher with footfall of over two thousand people, including 150 female breast cancer patients. These patients came to support this novel initiative and to also interact with the attendees to help raise awareness for Breast Cancer.

Speaking on this initiative, Prof Dr Raj Nagarkar, MD & Chief of Surgical Oncology and Robotic Services, HCG Manavata Cancer Centre, said, "October is designated as Breast Cancer awareness month and the idea behind PinkMela was to create an inclusive and encouraging platform to talk about Breast Cancer. Often people are hesitant to discuss such topics or stay ignorant about it, so through dance, music and workshops we find ways to talk and raise awareness about this subject. As per industry reports, 1 in 10 women are prone to breast cancer, while 1-2% of the total breast cancer cases are males, so it is pertinent that we handle this ailment seriously."

Popular Actress Sonalee Kulkarni shared her views saying, "I am delighted to be at the PinkMela carnival for a cause initiative. This event is a wonderful example of how we can engage and educate the audience about a serious ailment by creating a comfortable and lighthearted environment. I request Dr. Raj to partner with doctors from other cities and promote PinkMela across the length &breadth of the country so that all benefit from such an interesting initiative."

PinkMela had a variety of competitions including rangoli & mehendi, dance music, and host of other fun activities. In addition, they also had free breast cancer awareness camp where close to 1000 people registered for check-ups. Another key attraction this year was Epic Marketing, a leading Marketing agency in Nashik, inviting ace Marathi actor and celebrity Sonalee Kulkarni as the special guest for PinkMela.

As per industry statistics, breast cancer accounts for 14% of cancers in Indian women and it is said that every four minutes an Indian woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. There is a common myth that breast cancer is an urban ailment, but in reality, even rural and small towns in the country have shown a high number of cases over recent years. In fact, often many cases go unreported till it reaches a serious stage because women are unaware of symptoms or self-diagnosis and also largely due to poor screening methods and healthcare services in the smaller towns and rural geographies.

This year the global theme for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is "Together We Rise" and various organizations and medical fraternity is raising education and awareness of breast cancer, across the world.