Committed to the cause: Makna’s mobile mammogram team travelled to rural areas to provide screenings in conjunction with World Cancer Day.
The National Cancer Council of Malaysia (Makna) has highlighted the vital role that early detection plays in ensuring more effective treatment and improved survival rates among cancer patients, in conjunction with World Cancer Day which falls on Feb 4.
The day is promoted by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and one of the NGO’s aims is to integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda.
According to the Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Hospital Kuala Lumpur, the annual incidence of cancer in Malaysia is estimated to be 30,000.
The majority of patients are diagnosed at a later stage of the disease, making treatment more challenging than if the cancer had been discovered at an early stage.
This year’s theme for World Cancer Day is “Cancer – Not Beyond Us”, to underline the fact that solutions exist across the continuum of cancer care.
On World Cancer Day, Makna helped to spread awareness about early detection and preventative measures to the public through various campaigns and activities.
A mobile mammogram team went to rural areas to provide mammogram screenings as breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women.
Makna’s mobile mammogram trailer was launched in 2011 to reach out to women over the age of 40 from the lower-income group who have limited access to mammography screenings.
For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/maknacancer and http://makna.org.my/
