A breast self-examination kit is what you need to stay ahead of the stats
Breasts are a funny thing. Well, not really, but we don't know much about how they function, even though as women, we ought to know. Even the human anatomy that we studied in school, showed only how a male body looked.
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Over 10 years ago, when still in my 20s, when my breasts felt heavy I panicked and met a gynaecologist, who revealed that it's natural ahead of periods, for the breasts to feel heavy. She added that mine was "lumpy", but nothing to fear.
The statistics are overwhelming. In India, breast cancer accounts for 14 per cent of all cancers in women. One in 28 women is likely to develop lumps during their lifetime. The best way to combat this is by early detection, and for this, regular self-examination is key. A new kit, Thanks a dot, developed by SBI Life Insurance and the women's cancer initiative by Tata Memorial Hospital is helpful in that regard.
The kit has two parts to it. But, approach it textually. That is to say, use three fingers to understand the common lump shapes represented by rubber shapes on the left side of the kit. Then, try and identify these shapes without looking at them on the right side. Treat it as a puzzle.
Once you have mastered these, conduct a self-examination. Raise your right arm, and with three fingers of the left, circle your breasts and use a firm but smooth pressure and move your fingers in a circular motion, searching for lumps of the same shapes you have just identified. Do this every month. It's a scary self-examination. But, early detection makes all the difference.
The kit is available for free at https://www.sbilife.co.in/thanksadot
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