British-based McCormick & Company, Inc (MKC) Roko Cancer Trust will
begin the second phase of the Roko Cancer campaign in Garo Hills in
Meghalaya in January 2011. Meghalaya will be the first Indian state to
launch a cancer screening campaign for the entire population Isha
Bhandari, Director Roko Cancer India said that the campaign would be
launched at a cost of Rs.1 crore and will
be the country’s first fully equipped Mobile Cancer Detection Unit which
is launched by ‘Roko Cancer’ to reach far flung areas in the state. A
team of doctors and volunteers will travel through tough terrains with
the unit providing free detection facilities and further investigation
test to the people at their doorstep. This facility which cost around Rs
1500 per person would be provided free of cost to all the citizens.

She
told that “the Trust would launch world's most sophisticated cancer
detection unit under PPP model in active collaborations with state
government in Garo hills covering east, west and south Garo hills to
cover 5 lakhs populations spread over 8000 sq km area which has tough
geographical and topographical locations and the entire population will
be covered by the year 2013”. She told that “the campaign will be
extensively launched in remote and inaccessible areas of the state
during ensuing winter months”.

Bhandari told that the main unit
would be stationed at Tura and would traverse across the entire region
for early detection of breast, cervical and oral types of cancer free of
cost. She told that the organization has already launched the awareness
campaign in the region to educate the masses about the disease to
ensure community support during the campaign and added that Roko Cancer
would engage oncologists, doctors and radiologists for talks, lectures
and discussions among local communities to seek active support of the
masses for the campaign in the region.

The first Mobile Cancer
Detection Bus for cancer screening campaign was launched in Khasi region
on April 15, 2010 at Civil Hospital, at state capital Shillong jointly
by state government and ‘Roko Cancer’ trust. The first unit has examined
4000 people for breast, cervix and oral cancer through 63 camps in most
remote corner out of which 648 were further investigated and 24 cases
were found suspected who were advised for further follow-up at advanced
level of examinations.

The MKC Roko Cancer Trust has covered
eight Indian states so far that include Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.

She
told that Rt. Hon Dominic Grieve, Attorney General United Kingdom
recently presented the prestigious “The Pakistan India & UK
Friendship Forum Award” to roko cancer chairman Shri A.P.S. Chawla in
London for his outstanding contribution to bring awareness of breast
cancer in India particularly in north eastern states.

She told
that “Rt. Honorable Dominic Grieve presented British Community Honours
Award at the House of Lords in September last to Mr. Chawla Chairman of
Roko Cancer MKC Trust for his services to British Muslim Communities for
raising awareness among British Muslim women against cancer and also
won India International Award recently.”

Isha Bhandari President
Roko Cancer told that entire campaign is launched in systematic way
under which during the awareness drive, the van goes to villages and
conducts awareness programmes with the help of Volunteers which is
subsequently followed by the Mobile Cancer Detection Unit. The
activities include screening of awareness documentaries on breast cancer
and breast self examination technique is taught to all women attending
the awareness Camp. Pamphlets in local regional language which have very
essential information on breast, cervix and oral cancer are
distributed. Posters are being put up with ensuing detection camps
information throughout the state

She added “Ms Isha Bhandari
Director Operation’s roko cancer says, in a country like ours, if we
pick up cancer at an early stage, we can avoid huge costs. Chemotherapy
is expensive and painful. So it's best if it can be avoided”. She says
that “women in north east are generally aware the disease exists.
However, they are totally ignorant and clueless about the technical
aspects of discovering breast cancer before it's too late”.