Why it is necessary for Indian women to be self-aware and do self-breast examination regularly?

Women wear a multitude of hats. There is one that is called “cook”, one called “cleaner”,
another one called “breadwinner” and one each for teaching, chauffeuring, caregiving and so
on. But there is one dusty hat that is hardly ever acknowledged, let alone worn and is usually
shoved away in a corner.

That is the hat of ‘Self Care’, one that always takes a backseat over other, important
responsibilities and one that a woman even feels a little guilty to wear, as though it is selfish to
do so. Because of it, any nagging discomforts in her body are hardly ever noticed. Even if they
are, they are mostly attributed to either exhaustion or unhealthy eating habits or something
that a good night’s sleep can erase off.

What they do not realise is, this mentality that makes them become prone to any sort of critical
illnesses prevailing around. Breast cancer is one such illness which may touch the life of any
woman, regardless of who she is, how old she is and what her life is like.

Therefore, it is high time for women to don that hat of self-care and take charge of her health
much like she has taken charge of her life.

The month of October is recognised as the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month to
create awareness around breast cancer, its implications on the life of the affected and their
family members. According to reports, breast cancer is the most common form of malignancy
for women around the world and every four minutes, a woman gets diagnosed with it in India.
But because of trivializing their bodily discomforts, most of them do not consult doctors until
the situation gets out of hand. Therefore, it is crucial to learn a life-saving skill that will help in
detecting the lumps at an early stage and take necessary steps to battle against it.

Self-breast examination is an essential life-saving-skill that every woman should practice at
least once in a month to stay safe. It is an easy way to understand your body and make out
when something does not feel right. Practising this technique every month can help in
detecting abnormalities or changes that may designate cancer. Knowing how to spot the signs
and detect the changes play a crucial role in prevention and also early detection leading to a
heightened chance of surviving breast cancer.

To promote self-breast checks, SBI Life Insurance launched ‘Thanks A Dot’ initiative, with the
purpose of empowering the women of India to make their health a priority and to conduct self-
checks at regular intervals for early detection of any abnormality.

The company launched a Thanks A Dot Whatsapp Chat Bot, that will help woman set reminders
for self-breast checks, which is now just a click away. Message ‘Hi’ on 8860780000 and read
through the implications of breast cancer on health along with some reading materials and
tutorial videos that you will get in response.

Conducting self-examination of breasts on a regular basis is an extremely beneficial practice,
some of which are:
1. You get to know your body, not just externally but from within too
2. It allows you to stay prepared and get rid of any irrational fears associated with it
3. The practice instils a sense of awareness within you and motivates you towards
improving your lifestyle and make healthy choices
4. It encourages you to think about being financially prepared for any possible adversity by
making smart financial choices like opting for a comprehensive insurance policy that
helps you secure your family both mentally and financially in case of a diagnosis

Self-breast examination is a simple, no-cost technique that all women can practice on a regular
basis and at any age. Adopting this life-saving skill will enable you to understand your body and
keep deadly diseases at bay. Remember, the first step towards caring for loved ones begins
with caring for self. These simple steps will give you enormous power that will ensure you to
have absolute control over your health.