Prevention is better
that cure. I believe on that and thus, having a healthy lifestyle is a must for
every one of us. But what if, you have a healthy lifestyle, you eat a proper diet,
you do exercise and still, you suffer from illnesses or diseases. Well, regular
checkup is also part of the routine. Visit your doctor and have a regular checkup
as illness might also be cause hereditarily. And as a celebration of breast
cancer awareness month last month, I attended a seminar that lets me know the
early signs and symptoms that I, we, could check so that we can observe to
increase curability and saves more lives.
Meanwhile, plan your travels ahead and score big discounts!
Health is wealth, be informed! Have a great time!
According to Globocan 2012 of the International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC), the Philippines ranked as the 5th
country in Asia and the 2nd country in Southeast Asia with the highest incidence of breast cancer. The
country has a breast cancer age standardized rate (ASR) of 47/100,000
population which means 5 out of 100 women will develop breast cancer before the
age of 75.
This distressing statistic
is a major concern in the country, especially with the disease remaining as the
leading cancer among women to date. In response, many
advocacies and campaigns have been developed to improve these figures. “Every time we talk about breast cancer, we
always see negative statistics. The thing is, it’s curable. So why aren’t we
projecting numbers of lives that were saved from this disease instead?”
expressed Ann Christine Palisoc, President of Philippine Wacoal
Corporation.
Early detection is the
most effective solution to breast cancer management. Studies support that
survival rates increase the earlier the cancer is detected with treatment
during stages 0-3 providing the best chance of
survival. This is supported by statistics from Cancer Research UK which reports
that 90% of women who were diagnosed earlier have a better chance of recovering
from the disease than those diagnosed during the advanced stages.
Monthly breast
self-examination is suggested for women at the age of first menstruation. Those
in the same age range to their 30s are also recommended to have a clinical
breast examination (CBE). For women aged 40 and above, having a CBE and
mammogram yearly is advised. “There is no shortage of options that can be used to detect breast
cancer early. The problem is that people do not always understand the
significance of early detection,” says Palisoc. She continues, “This is why building breast cancer awareness
is still very important. We need to inform the public. If they are properly
educated, then they will build the initiative on their own.”
Philippine
Wacoal rises to this call with
its 10-year-long Keep Abreast Campaign,
an advocacy that centers in informing the public about the importance of early
diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of breast cancer. For this campaign,
Philippine Wacoal has partnered with non-profit organization Gift2Life, Inc. to
conduct free seminars to build better public awareness on the subject.
In addition, Philippine Wacoal Corporation also
conducts clinical breast examinations after the seminars. This year-round
advocacy also sells pink ribbon souvenir items to its customers to raise funds
which will be donated to Gift2Life, Inc. and the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc.
The company is a
subsidiary of Wacoal Corporation, Japan’s leading brand of female
undergarments. Other than its quality products—which the company boasts to be
supported by intensive research, the corporation has also made a name in the
international and local market for building and valuing consumer trust.
Palisoc shares, “As a brand trusted by many, we have taken it
as our responsibility to give back to society. This is our way of reaching a helping
hand, because everyone deserves to be protected from this disease.” She finishes, “Live an active and healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly, minimize
stress, and most of all, know your risk factors. Be aware. It can save your
life.”
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