Cancer Awareness & Screening of 3000 Indian women

Dear Donors,

Greetings from STEPS NGO

 Cervical and Breast cancers are most common type of cancers in India among women. Currently, most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, which reduces their chances of survival. They have several misconceptions and often misinformed of cancers.

Implementing this program in slums of Srikalahasti municipality a drought pone, backward area in chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh state.

Poor slum women majority of cancer victims are particularly unable to access to awareness and screening services. There is immediate need for community screening and education to prevent and control cancers.

Cervical Cancer: 80% of the new cervical cancer cases occur in India, which reports approximately one fourth of the world's cases of cervical cancer each year. Women or men aged between 15-50 years and those with multiple sexual partners stands at the risk of developing cervical cancer.In urban areas, cervical cancer account for over 40% of cancers.

Breast cancer:The majority of breast cancer patients are diagnosed with the later stages of the disease. In these stages, patients do not usually respond well to treatments, leading to high mortality rates. So, early detection is associated with better prognosis and higher survival rates, and is therefore considered the key to cancer control. Women do not have knowledge of breast cancer often have several misconceptions. Women at greatest risk are over the age of 50.

Poverty: Poverty is an important issue that has worsened the health situation of. About 60% of the Indian people are poor and 30% are very poor.

The cancer mostly affects middle- aged women (between 40 and 55 years), especially those from the lower economic status who fail to carry out regular health check-ups due to financial inadequacy.

Among the slum population, more than 40% of them live below poverty line where less than half of the population is literate and unemployed. Socioeconomic causes, illiteracy, sexual factors, dietary, hormonal, hereditary factors are playing very dominant role.

This project will enable us to deliver clinical services and enable all women to have a maximum access to cancer screening and awareness services. STEPS will work with the local government, community health workers and establish working systems at the grassroots level for purposes of sustainability, increasing awareness and provision of support at the community level. 

 Limited treatment capacity: Breast cancer and Cervicalcancer is largely preventable but women need to be screened to halt the deadly disease.Limited access to information on the disease available to women in Srikalahasti slums Program for awareness and screening the disease in early stage is done. Otherwise it will continue to go undiagnosed and untreated.

  Organized cancer awareness camp for slum women and Anganwadi workers.

 23 were screened for Cervical  and Breast cancers.

 Mrs. Pandari Bai aged 40 years one of the beneficiaries shared with our team and says “I am truly grateful to STEPS for screening me for breast cancer and advised me to have Mammography test. Now I will motivate other women for screening of cancers. This work is important for women and I wish STEPS can keep doing it.”

  Thank you for supporting this project and bringing vital Cervical and Breast cancers awareness, education and screening to vulnerable women in Srikalahasti.

Thanks and regards

Dr. P. Prameelamma

President, STEPS NGO