Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Pakistan, accounting for an alarming 76% of female cancer diagnoses in Karachi. Each year, over 148,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in Pakistan, with close to 100,000 lives lost to the disease. Despite this significant burden, breast cancer awareness remains low, leading to late-stage diagnoses that reduce the chances of survival.

A major barrier to early detection in Pakistan is the social stigma and cultural norms surrounding breast health. Many women feel embarrassed discussing breast-related concerns, which perpetuates silence about symptoms and delays medical intervention. Coupled with limited awareness about breast self-examinations and the importance of screenings, these cultural challenges contribute to the disease’s high mortality rate.

Friends of Chitral (FoC) aims to combat these challenges by empowering women with knowledge about breast cancer symptoms and screening practices. Through awareness campaigns and free workshops, our organization seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding breast health and encourage earlier diagnoses. By promoting autonomy in health decisions, FoC hopes to decrease the prevalence of late-stage breast cancer diagnoses and improve survival rates for women across Pakistan.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452109/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44337-024-00089-5