Suleman Dawood School of Business – LUMS recently marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign, which included a talk by sectoral experts, and an awareness walk on campus, was supported by SDSB’s Centre for Business and Society (CBS), Pink Ribbon Pakistan, and Jammin Java SDSB. Student societies, including LUMS Photographic Society and FemSoc LUMS also participated in the campaign. The Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign at SDSB-LUMS was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor LUMS, Dr. Arshad Ahmad, and Honorary Dean SDSB, Dr. Alnoor Bhimani. CEO Pink Ribbon Pakistan, Mr. Omer Aftab, was also present at the occasion.
Around the world, October is marked as Breast Cancer Awareness Month to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment of the disease. The World Health Organization reports that around 2.1 million women every year are diagnosed with breast cancer – a quarter of them or nearly 500,000 lose the battle.
Addressing the audience, Vice Chancellor Dr. Arshad Ahmad remarked that prevention of breast cancer was not possible, but early diagnosis was. Dr. Alnoor Bhimani addressed the sociocultural dimensions of the disease and added that it was crucial to build awareness around this critical health challenge to promote its early diagnosis and treatment. He also thanked the student volunteers who had collected funds and led the on-campus awareness drive. CEO Pink Ribbon Pakistan, Mr. Omer Aftab, shared his journey of mainstreaming breast cancer awareness through print, electronic, and digital media.
This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by LUMS faculty, Dr. Faiza Ismail. The panel included Mr. Omer Aftab; Dr. Huma Majeed, a senior breast cancer surgeon, and Ms. Silwat Zafar, an educator and breast cancer survivor. After a discussion about the disease, its early indicators, and the journey through treatment, the panelists took questions from the audience. Dr. Alnoor Bhimani closed the first session with a presentation of souvenirs to the panelists. Participants were offered pink cupcakes and pink lemonade as part of the Pink October theme.
The second session of the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign was a campus walk led by Dr. Alnoor Bhimani and Mr. Omer Aftab. Students from different schools joined in the walk, which concluded at the Gad and Birgit Rausing Library.
