Dr Rajendra Badwe, Head of the Dept of Surgical Oncology at the Tata Memorial Hospital was recently awarded the Reach to Recovery International medal (RRI). The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) granted the award to Dr Badwe at the 12th UICC RRI Conference held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The UICC is a 70-year-old non-profit organization, dedicated to the global control of cancer. It chooses a health professional who has made a significant contribution to the creation and evolution of breast cancer rehabilitation programmes in their country, based on nominations by support groups, advocacy groups and NGOs who are registered with it.

Several support groups in India, as well as a few international groups had nominated Dr Badwe, who is the first Indian to win the prestigious medal. 50 breast cancer specialists and 4000 survivors from all over the world attended the three –day conference.

One out of every 35 women in urban India and one out of every 60 women in rural India is at a lifetime risk of breast cancer. “We are slowly moving towards the alarming figures of USA where one out of every eight women suffer from breast cancer,” says Dr Badwe.

“Breast cancer is one of the most curable cancers,” says Dr Badwe. “Early detection is the key to the cure and for this women need to be more vigilant. Mammography is relevant for women who are above 50 years of age. In India, where 65 percent of the female population is below the age of 50, mammography is not the answer. Regular physical examination by a physician should be done to detect the cancer at its early stages,” advised Dr Badwe.

The longer the interval between puberty and the first child, higher is the risk of breast cancer. “Women should balance their career and family so that she can manage both, simultaneously,” says Dr Badwe.