Karachi: FJDC held a Pink Café Breakfast on 28th October 2022, followed by a Pink Seminar as part of their annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer.
This seminar consisted of four eminent speakers from various fields, including Mr Javed Jabbar (Writer, Filmmaker, Policy Analyst and former Senator and Federal Minister of Pakistan), Ms Khushbakht Shujaat S.I. (Former Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan), Professor Dr Shaista Effendi (Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Ziauddin Hospital) and Dr Fatima Batool (Director and Clinical Psychologist at Psychbooth).
Before the seminar took off, a breakfast was held at the campus hosted by the college for the students, faculty and guests.
The seminar started with the first guest Mr Javed Jabbar, who spoke about challenges faced by women in this society and also emphasized how vital it is to spread awareness regarding any disease. He talked about misconceptions about breast cancer and its treatment options. Mr Javed also appreciated FJDC for standing up for and working on non-dental ailments.
Ms Khushbakht forthrightly shared with the audience her life story. She explained how she transformed into the woman she has become today. Furthermore, she listed the reasons behind the lack of awareness of this disease. According to her, females tend to place themselves last in self-care, due to which they compromise their health. Therefore, we need to be aware of these problems so they can be addressed and resolved.
Professor Dr Shaista walked the audience through the pathology of the disease. Whenever a person feels something abnormal in bodily function, be it male or female, it is essential to get themselves checked and treated. She also talked about the unhealthy lifestyle of people, ranging from fatty foods to a lack of exercise. A healthy lifestyle followed by regular checkups can be the key difference between staying fit or suffering from a life-threatening disease.
Dr Fatima Batool talked about the psychological aspects of suffering from cancer. She mentioned that cancer is taxing not only on physical well-being but on mental health as well. Studies have shown that poor mental health during cancer can reduce the effectiveness of the therapy and decrease life expectancy. Since mental health is a taboo topic in Pakistan, she has developed an online platform that patients can use privately to contact her. Cancer affects people in different ways, and everyone handles it differently, therefore the caregiver needs to adapt to their needs for a more effective treatment.
The seminar was a success and fairly enjoyed by everyone in attendance.
