Date: 21 September 2023 (Thursday)
Time: 2:15pm to 5:15pm
Objective:
1. Breast Cancer Awareness, Menstrual Problems, Cervical Cancer Awareness, Head & Neck Cancer, and Prevention of various health conditions related to male & females.
2. Relationship of Cancer Awareness to Mental Health.
Outcome of the activity: To educate and aware students to conquer the battle against cancer and help them to minimise the risk by taking precautions in different stages of life as the word cancer resonate with fear, uncertainty and has touched many lives of countless individuals and family directly or indirectly around the world. The session encouraged the students to be aware of the related symptoms so that it will be diagnosed timely and related treatment will be provided.
Mode: Offline
Venue:Amity Institute of Behavioural and Applied Sciences, Amity University Madhya Pradesh Number of Participants: 140 Students and 10 faculty members.
Resource Personage: Dr. Gunjan Shrivastava, (Medical Oncologist), Dr. Supriya Garg, (Patient welfare & Administration), Dr. Tanushree Soni, (Dental Surgeon) Ms. Harshita Yadav, Social Worker, and Ms. Meera Shrivastava, Retd. Principal & Ex member of Coordinating Cancer Care.
Coordinators:
1.Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Gwalior: Dr. Santosh Kumar, (Coordinator and Project officer)
2. Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior: Dr. Shubhagata Awasthi, (Inhouse Event Coordinator, AIBAS)
Summary of the Session:
Amity Institute of Behavioural and Applied Sciences, Amity University Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with Cancer Hospital and Research Institute Gwalior, has organised free special session on cancer awareness for
the students of the Amity Institute of Behavioral and Allied Science (AIBAS), Amity Institute of Social Sciences (AISS) and Amity School of Architecture and Planning (ASAP) on 21st September 2023, on topic ‘Cancer Awareness Workshop” under the banner of The Positive Mental Health & Psychological First Aid Centre, to promote and ensure inclusivity, the prevention of Mental health problems and develop awareness and sensitization toward social stigma of mental health issues. The event was kick started by Dr. Shubhagata Awasthi, who warmly welcomed the guests of honour Dr. Gunjan Shrivastava, Dr. Tanushree Soni, Ms. Supriya Garg, Ms. Harshita Yadav, Dr. Santosh Kumar and Ms. Meera Shrivastava by acknowledging their meticulous achievements. Before handling over the platform to our esteemed dignitaries, Prof (Dr) NovRattan Sharma, Director, AIBAS who imparted words of wisdom regarding the need for and importance of Cancer Awareness Program and relationship of Cancer Awareness to Mental Health.
The first guest to hold the stage was Ms. Supriya Garg who spoke about the basic awareness about Cancer and encouraged the students to be aware about the basic symptoms.
The event was furthered spurred by our main speaker & second guest Dr. Gunjan Shrivastava, who spoke about the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness in females. She emphasized the importance of its awareness as globally, every year 16-17 lakh females diagnosed with breast cancer, it means in India one women is diagnosed with breast cancer in every 4 minutes and in every 13 minutes a women died due to breast cancer. She stated that timely diagnosis can increase 90% chances to fully cure this deadly disease. She shared important data with students that in India 50% patients of breast cancer will approach to doctors when they diagnosed in 3rd or 4th stage and the chances of developing these deadly diseases increased with age. She encouraged the students to approach for help in such cases without hesitation. She accepted the importance of psychology and highlighted the need for counselling services especially for cancer patients and their families during and after treatment of cancer. She gave a brief idea about the Breast self-examination (BSE) and explained the easy-to-do steps that can identify early signs of breast cancer. She explained further that it should carried out 3-5 days after the onset of female period. Females if no longer gets menses, then can choose any day of the month. Further she explained easy steps of BSE. She also enlightened students by explicating exercise of breast cancer prevention. She explained risk factors of Breast Cancer, also shared important case studies and research with student. Next, she Explained about the Cervical Cancer, importance of its awareness
and steps of prevention of Cervical Cancer. She also covers the topic ‘Life saver HPV Vaccine’. The session was further proceeded by third speaker Dr. Tanushree Sony, who spoke about Head & Neck Cancer Awareness. She explained the symptom and causes of most common Cancer in India. Also, she talked about tobacco & alcoholism in young adults, how dangerous passive smoking is. She warns the students about the smoking affects as it persists even after 2 hours of smoking in room. Also, she shared few case studies, diagnosis, and very informative data of treatment for the same.
After the very informative and enlightening session next special guest Ms. Meera Shrivastava a survivor of breast cancer, talked about her journey how she overcame and came out through her journey as a warrior. She emphasises the importance of early detection, early treatment, importance of prevention, follow-up as cancer is recurrent in nature as she got cancer thrice, she shared all her experiences, and about music as a source of motivation to her during that difficult time, also she warned students about not to fall for wrong practice during difficult time instead use creative and good source of involvement and counselling which will increase your confidence and resilience. After a motivational session student of MPhil clinical psychology Ms. Navya, Yashi and Astha started question & answer session in which students raised their queries about different aspects and stages of cancer, severity of the symptoms, female mensural cycle, preventive measure, cancer in male, common cancers in females, age related aspect of cancer prone stage, white discharge etc and students answered the questions asked by the expert Dr. Gunjan Shrivastava for which they have received gifts from the team. After very interactive question & answer session with all the experts, on the behalf of all the students Ms. Vidushi of MA Clinical psychology shared her learning experiences of the successfully conduction of the Cancer Awareness program jointly conducted by AIBAS, Amity University Madhya Pradesh and cancer hospital and research Institution, Gwalior.
At the end she invited the esteemed HoD, Dr. Ragendra Sharma sir for vote of thanks and, he emphasised the importance of psycho-oncology in palliative care and treatment of cancer by psychologists. After the vote of thanks as a token of gratitude we presented sapling of Tulsi plant as a token of gratitude to all our guest and dignitaries.
The Cancer Awareness Workshop was successfully completed by one-to-one interaction of all the guests with thankful gesture of our students and faculty members.