Roche campaign raises breast cancer awareness
Print Edition
SHANGHAI Roche Pharmaceutical Ltd officially launched its “Run for Her” campaign on May 6 as the latest step in the Swiss giant’s continued efforts to raise public awareness about health and early cancer screening.
“Run for Her” is a breast cancer awareness project co-organized by the China Cancer Rehabilitation Society, Beijing Love Book Cancer Foundation (LBCF) and Roche. The year-long campaign will include a number of charitable events in major Chinese cities.
Hong Chow, general manager of Shanghai Roche Pharmaceutical Ltd, said: “it’s our responsibility as a leader in the cancer treatment arena to help raise public awareness of breast cancer because it’s curable through early diagnosis and proper treatment.”
On May 6, a mini-marathon was organized for the kick-off ceremony of “Run for Her” at Juyong Pass on the Great Wall. More than 300 participants attended, including about 120 breast cancer survivors, group volunteers, breast cancer treatment experts and Roche representatives.
“The Great Wall is a symbol of unity and power for the Chinese nation and we chose to launch the ‘Run for Her’ project here to show that we’d like to unite all walks of live in the society to fight cancer,” said Hong.
Breast cancer is among the top killers of women in China. It is now the fastest growing cause of death in urban areas and its morbidity has grown at an average rate of about three percent in recent years to around 42.55/100,000. It is estimated that the number of breast cancer patients in China will increase to 2.5 million in 2021, when morbidity is also expected to reach 100/100,000 among women age 55-69.
Early breast cancer screening and standardized treatment for different types of breast cancer are key to saving lives. Meanwhile there is still a huge lack of public awareness about breast caner. Studies have shown that as many as 81.45 percent of Chinese women are “poorly aware” of breast cancer and less than 10 percent of women have received a breast X-ray check.
The“Run for Her” project is aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer among public. Its goals include advocating regular cancer screenings and mobilizing society at large to care for breast cancer patients.
Roche also announced that it would sponsor a smartphone application from Beijing Love Book Cancer Foundation called “Run for Her.” The app offers access to an online community designed for patients of breast cancer and other cancers, to help them track their rehabilitation activities and share their experiences. They can also receive notifications about offline activities, gatherings among patients and volunteer groups, as well as rehabilitation events.
“It’s important for patients to talk with each other and share their experiences through the online platform,” said Professor Shi Anli, Chairman of China Cancer Rehabilitation Society.
Professor Shi, herself a breast cancer survivor, said the joint efforts are aimed at raising public awareness of women’s health, and to share information on breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.
“Patients spend a lot of time with family members and friends after they complete treatment and check out of the hospital. And they require medical professionals to share with them how to go through the rehabilitation process, and we have also introduced a number of leisure activities to help them better adapt to rehabilitation,” she said.
“I know what it’s like to be a cancer patient. By bringing together the capabilities of volunteer communities and medical practitioners, we can make patients’ lives better,” she said.
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