ISLAMABAD. – A detailed informational session on Breast Cancer Awareness was held on Friday for the employees of Islamabad Serena Hotel and Serena Business Complex by Dr. Ayesha Isani Majeed, Head of the Radiology Department at Pakistan Institute for Medical Sciences (PIMS) and spokesperson for Breast Cancer for the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. 

“Pakistan has 34,000 new breast cancer patients every year, and this number is expected to double by 2040. In Islamabad alone, one out of eight women screened have been found to have breast cancer,” said Dr. Ayesha Isani who has established the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Center at PIMS. 

She said early detection and early diagnosis was key, with 98% recovery rates at the early detection stage, and 27% in advanced stage of the disease. Yearly mammograms for women over 40 and breast self-examinations, as well as healthy lifestyle, nutritious food and exercise can help bring down the incidence of the disease. 

Dr. Ayesha Isani Majeed informed that the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Center at PIMS is the first public sector facility in Islamabad which offers initial screening and detection, biopsy, ultrasound and mammography to patients under one ceiling, and was built to facilitate the growing demand of patients especially those unable to afford the costs of private hospitals. 

The event was part of a series of multi-platform initiatives by Serena Hotels to continue all this month at its units countrywide to mark “Pinktober” including pink lighting at all the hotel properties. Serena has also joined hands with the “Be aware Be Safe” breast cancer awareness campaign by the First Lady Mrs. Arif Alvi, and is disseminating informational material to stakeholders at its properties and on its digital platforms. 

With 1.3 million cases daily, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Pakistan has the highest prevalence of breast cancer in Asia, with one out of nine women expected to be diagnosed with the disease at some point.