In a unique initiative, SMS Medical college with TATA trusts brought Rajasthan Royals to spread awareness for cancer screening. The aim was to motivate people for screening so that cancer can be detected at early stage. It is important because, in more than 80% cases, cancer has been detected at last stage which turns into mortality. One of the activity under the campaign named as ‘cancer out’, Rajasthan Royals players would wear pink jersey in the match going to be held on May 11. The jersey was revealed at SMS Medical College on Wednesday.
“Rajasthan is at sixth position in a number of cancer cases,” Dr US Agrawal, Principal of SMS Medical College said. “We hope that involving these players will definitely spread awareness among people and they will turn up for cancer screening. As of now, in a year, around 1 lakh cancer patients come in OPD while 23,000 cancer patients are admitted and 5,000-6,000 cancer patients undergo surgeries at SMS hospital,” he added.
To promote early cancer screening, the state government, Tata Trusts and Rajasthan Royals signed a memorandum of understanding. “There are 14 lakh new cancer cases every year and about 25 per cent of these remain undetected till the last stage. The aim is to create awareness for the screening of oral, breast and cervical cancer so that the disease can be detected at early stage and lives can be saved,” Burzis Taraporevala, CFO and company secretary at Tata Trusts said. Dr Sandeep Jasuja, bone marrow transplant and cancer expert said, “In India, 90% people come to doctor at the last stage of cancer and all the doctors could do is to provide palliative care and just extend their life for some more time.”
