Breast cancer cases are increasing in India while there is a marginal decline in the western countries, mainly due to ignorance and lack of awareness in one part of the world and increasing awareness in another.

This was revealed by Director of Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bombay, Dr K A Dinshaw, who was in Bhopal to inaugurate `Breast Cancer support Group' commissioned by noted NGO, Dr Saroj Asthana Memorial Society for Health.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Dr K A Dinshaw said that the humble efforts of such social organisation like Society for Health Education Family Welfare not only mitigate the plight of people but it is the best way to immortalise the life of dedicated souls who have highlighted the importance of awareness.

Chairman of Society for Health Education Family Welfare (SHEFWEL), Dr Arun Mathur in his welcome speech said that they are happy that their efforts are being recognised in the larger public interest when Dr KA Dinshaw the Messiah of Cancer patients in India has inaugurated the breast Cancer Group.

While reading the report Dr Mathur said that within a time span of less than two years after the death of founder of SHEFWEL, they had been able to organise half a dozen international and national conferences for the welfare of people besides creating awareness among the masses in the state.

Calling attention to the pathetic cases or rural India suffering from oral cancer due to tobacco consumption, he maintained that the deadly disease has taken toll of a young boy of 12 years. General secretary of SHEFWEL, SS Asthana said that the place where the support group was constituted was her work place and her battlefield for fighting cancer. Asthana called upon the doctors to persuade the affected families to avoid ``faith healers'' who unfortunately have their place in the country.

Meanwhile, Dr Dinshaw also visited several districts in Madhya Pradesh during her stay here and apprised herself of the cancer care programmes being implemented by different NGOs.