A Life Worth

Living…
Five Year Review

Pink Ribbon Pakistan

Naattiioonnaall B
N Aw
Caanncceerr A
Brreeaasstt C waarreenneessss C mppaaiiggn
Caam
 Contents

Abbreviations/Acronyms

Turning dreams into reality

01 Introducing WEG
01 Prevailing Health Scenario
02 Inherent Challenges
04 The Pink Ribbon Campaign
04 Rationale
07 Vision
07 Mission
07 Ideology
07 Objectives
07 The Stakeholders
07 Strategic Approach
08 The March Starts
08 Working with the Government
09 Strategic Alliances
10 Networking with Women Groups
11 Rousing Youth
13 Lady Health Worker’s Program
13 Survivor’s Network
13 Encouraging Corporate Social Responsibility
15 Celebrity Endorsement
16 Campaigning Through Media
18 Extending Friendly Hand
19 Pink Ribbon Merchandise
20 Moving Ahead-Future projects
Abbreviations/Acronyms
ACSU American Cancer Society University LCWU Lahore College fro Women University
AKU Aga Khan University LHW Lady Health Worker
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome LUMS Lahore University of Management Sciences
BBC British Broadcasting Company MET Minimal Expected Treatment
BRCA Breast Cancer MoU Memorandum of Understanding
CD Compact Disc NGO Non Governmental Organization
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility NuPA Nutrition and Physical Activity
DFS Disease Free Survival NWFP North West Frontier Province
FJMC Fatima Jinnah Medical College OPF Overseas Pakistanis Foundation
FJWU Fatima Jinnah Women University OS Overall Survival
FP Family Planning PFOWA Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association
GDP Gross Domestic Product PID Press Information Department
HIV Human Immuno-defficiency Virus PR Public Relations
IEC Information, Education and Communication RH Reproductive Health
ICG Islamabad College for Women SES Socio Economic Status
IPRA International Public Relations Association WEG Women’s Empowerment Group
 Working Together -
Turning dreams into
reality
A young woman of 30 dying of CA Breast is not merely a death
of an individual or a female in fact it's the first step towards the
destruction of healthy home, insecurity for her children and
misery for the whole family.
Cancer is a growing health problem in the country. A milestone
in the healthcare system of Pakistan has been achieved with the
publication of this report of the Women’s Empowerment Group
that provides some eye opening facts about the alarmingly high
incidence of breast cancer in Pakistan.
During the course of The Pink Ribbon Campaign
Pakistan, it was realized that one fatal and lethal
danger to women in Pakistan was regarding their
health, careless towards their health, they often
tend to ignore many things. With the increasing
incidence of CA breast patients pouring in at the
Awareness Scale
Pakistan is hit with uninterrupted intensity of moderate to severe
degree of poverty throughout its map. Poverty, as they say, has
four facets; doctors link it with daily calories; the economists with
daily income; the human rightists with basic rights; and the
intellectuals with cerebral calibrations. Whatever form poverty
acquires or whatever consequences it leads to, one thing is for
sure that it needs to be taken care of… otherwise deteriorating
women’s health will engulf the prosperity of our nation in the
days to come…
Talking about Breast Cancer, a few years back, was an illicit thing
to discuss thus resulting in hiding of the disease and delaying
treatment. The efforts of Pink Ribbon Pakistan have helped to
bring the awareness level from -100 (non tolerant level)of
government, media and the masses to zero (neutral base) but it
still has a long way to go in order to reach its target of 100%
awareness level about early detection and treatment of the disease
at an early stage.
100
The realization that CA
Breast can be cured…
75 serves as a hope for
50 reduced mortality rate
associated with it in the

25
national hospitals and that too at very late stage, is days to come.
enough food for thought in motivating us to 0
1 2 3 4 5

launch an effective and efficient program to create -25

awareness regarding CANCER OF BREAST.
-50

-75
Omer Aftab
National Coordinator
-100
Pink Ribbon Pakistan
Time
 A Life Worth Living…

Introducing WEG result of the difficulty of delivering health care under these
With a vision to become the center of excellence for gender issues conditions, the country has one of the highest rates of maternal
in Pakistan, the Women’s Empowerment Group (WEG) came into mortality in the world (6-8 per 1,000). In Pakistan, 1 in every 38
existence in 1999. The founders of WEG included a group of women dies from pregnancy-related causes while in Sri Lanka, it is
young motivated professionals who planned to work for the uplift 1 in 230.
of the society with special emphasis on the rights of women and
children. WEG is a not for profit, non-governmental organization
registered as a Trust, aiming to accelerate the process of socio-
economic development and empowerment of unprivileged
In Pakistan, the total spending
segments of the society at the grass roots level without ethnic,
racial or religious discrimination.
in health sector is 0.57% of the
In its efforts to improve the quality of life of womenfolk in
GDP, whereas in South Asian
Pakistan and to provide them with equal opportunities, WEG
dedicated its efforts in the following areas: Health, Economic
Region, it is 4.7% of GDP
Empowerment, Education, Gender Equity and Equality, Legal and
Political Rights and Sustainable Development.
Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among all the Asian
countries. It is the commonest cancer observed in females,
Prevailing Health Scenario representing more than one third of female cancers and about one
Pakistan - the sixth most populous country in the world, according
fourth of all malignancies. Approximately, 1 out of 9 women in
to estimates, the total population of the country is approximately
Pakistan are likely to suffer from breast cancer at some point in
18 million as on 30th June 2008 with an annual growth rate of
their lives whereas, in India it is 1 in 22 (Indian Council of Medical
2.6%. Women constitute approximately 52% of the total
Research - ICMR). Every 5th woman in Pakistan develops breast
population.
cancer after the age of 40. About 77 percent of invasive breast
cancers occur in women over 50 years of age. Average age at
In Pakistan, the total spending in health sector is 0.57% of the
diagnosis is 64. Approximately 90,000 cases are diagnosed with
GDP, whereas in South Asian Region, it is 4.7% of GDP. The
breast cancer every year however, the number of unreported cases
country, on the other hand, faces an enormous challenge in
is expected to be much more. Out of the reported cases, advanced
delivering basic health care to its people. Its highly diverse
breast cancer accounts for 43.7% of cases; over 40,000 deaths per
geography, ranging from the plains of the Indus River Basin in the
year in Pakistan.
south to rocky plateaus in the southwest and the towering
Himalayas in the north, makes travel difficult. Many Pakistanis live
in remote villages and roads are often in poor condition. As a

1
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan

Approximately 1 out of 9
Pakistani women are likely to
suffer from breast cancer at
some point in their lives
Pakistan is a classic example of people having varied life style of
both liberals and conservatives but surprisingly the basic
characteristics of female population remains one and the same.
Both live under fear of male domination. The majority of Pakistani
women, thus, are reluctant to consult and be examined by doctors.
Due to social stigma, the women even after discovering breast
cancer conceal it. As a result, Pakistani women are at high risk of
developing breast cancer.
Inherent Challenges
Whenever any campaign is launched or any developmental project
is initiated with an aim to bring change in the society, several
impediments must be faced. Furthermore, in a country like
Pakistan, change is acquired over an even extended period of time
as diverse challenges exist. The inherent challenges encountered
during the Pink Ribbon Campaign include:
• Illiteracy: In Pakistan, overall female literacy rate is 36% ♣ ,
whereas 77% of the females have not completed higher
secondary school. Lack of education, knowledge and
understanding has rendered women oblivious of the
♣
Pakistan Education and School Atlas
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
A Life Worth Living…
occurrence of breast cancer and its vicious effects. The
greatest challenge lies in directing a message that is easy to
understand, enlightening and provides early detection and
self diagnosis steps for urban as well as rural women, without
offending the stern social and cultural beliefs of these women
and their families.
• Taboos: The success of a campaign depends on a large
extent the way it is communicated to its target audience and
the way they perceive it. Unwillingness to understand,
resistance or rejection of sensitive matters is not an issue of
the illiterate only, the masses at large have prescribed
principles and indigenous cultural beliefs on the basis of
which they tend to accept or reject a particular notion. The
taboos affirm that the disease is a result of an evil eye, a curse
or wrong doings of the sufferer. Breast cancer is a very
sensitive issue and women generally shy away from
addressing breast related issues and feel uncomfortable in
discussing breast cancer. This reluctance further increase with
a fear that disclosure of the disease will tend to affect the
future of sisters and daughters of the patient by not getting
married. Hence, reaching out to women, removing their
shyness and misconceptions and educating them on
preventive and early diagnosis method is a tremendous
challenge relevant to all segments of women alike.
90,000 cases of Breast Cancer
are reported every year in Pakistan, out
of which over 40,000 women
die of it…
2

• Myths and Misconceptions: The myths and
misconceptions prevalent in the society also substantially
hinder early diagnosis and even the treatment of breast
cancer in Pakistan. Some of the myths and misconceptions
include:
o Breast cancer only affects older women
o If breast cancer does not run in your family, you will not
get it
o Only your mother's family history of breast cancer can
affect your risk
o Breast cancer is a communicable disease
o Breast cancer can be a result of a curse/evil eye
o Breast feeding increases the chance of breast cancer, etc.
All these myths and misconceptions are not true and due to
lack of awareness and knowledge many women start
believing these and delay the process of diagnosis and
treatment.
• The B-word and Media: Running a campaign on breast
cancer awareness in Pakistan required changing of mindsets.
While talking about the issue of CA Breast, media in Pakistan
was not ready to differentiate between education and
obscenity; and refused to air any news or programs on this
topic. Getting them to comply was a later challenge, just
making them recognize the importance of breast cancer
awareness, its high prevalence in Pakistan and the need for
mass communication had been and continues to be our
greatest challenge.
• Lack of Medical Facilities and Infrastructure: Poor
access to healthcare, lack of medical facilities and
infrastructure not only limits the early diagnosis of breast
cancer but also hinder treatment of the deadly disease. The
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
A Life Worth Living…
existing government and private hospitals are insufficient to
cater for the growing number of cancer patients and lack
resources to provide adequate diagnostic and treatment
facilities. There is no concept of Annual Screening or
Mammogram for women aging 40 or above as either it is not
available or is expensive.
The available human resource
in health sector in Pakistan is
dismally low as it shows a
ratio of 1,254 people per doctor,
2,671 per nurse, 6,235 per
midwife and 18,318 per Lady
Health Visitor
(Economic Survey 2006-07, Pakistan)
• Lack of Specialized Human Resource: The number of
specialized human resource e.g. surgeons, oncologists and
radiologists specifically female doctors is too low; as
specialized facilities are limited to some main cities of the
country. Furthermore, rural areas, on one hand, lack doctors
and on the other hand, absenteeism of female doctors, nurses
and paramedics further aggravates the situation. Women,
3

who after overcoming lots of obstacles at the household
level, when reach a hospital for consultation and the
concerned doctor is not present there find it all the more
difficult to visit again. Furthermore, the rural community
finds it more convenient to go to a pious man (peer/imam
masjid) for a special prayer that they think will dissolve the
cyst or to a Hakeem for alternative medication or to a barber
shop for rudimentary surgery of the cyst. This delay in
diagnosis and inappropriate treatment, in many cases, proves
to be fatal for patients.
• Absence of Cancer Registry: Research and development is
at its lowest in Pakistan and the absence of a Cancer Registry
further substantiates this. There is no official collection of
data, analysis or availability of statistics, and hence the
prevailing national scenario is vague.
• Lack of National Cancer Prevention Program: Welfare
countries across the globe support National Cancer
Prevention Programs that operate through the amalgamated
efforts of national organizations, state health agencies and
other key groups to develop, implement, and promote
effective cancer prevention and control practices. However,
no such program exists in Pakistan.
With Early detection…
the chances of surviving
Breast Cancer are
more than 90%
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
A Life Worth Living…
The Pink Ribbon Campaign
For the past fifteen years, Pink Ribbon has symbolized support for
breast cancer awareness worldwide. The campaign epitomizes
femininity, support and endurance. To recognize the valor of
women fighting breast cancer, each year the general public is
encouraged to wear Pink Ribbons throughout the month of
October. The pink ribbon is an emblem of hope for breast cancer
sufferers and for those working to fight this curable disease.
The Pink Ribbon Campaign was brought to Pakistan in 2004,
when Women’s Empowerment Group (WEG) observed the
astonishingly high breast cancer prevalence in Pakistan. It was
found that breast cancer was one of the fastest growing national
concerns, yet was being neglected at all levels due to social and
cultural restraints. To address this concern, the Nationwide Breast
Cancer Awareness Campaign was initiated, with the aim to make
breast cancer emerge as a premier health concern. Pink Ribbon
Pakistan, The National Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, is a
non-funded, self-sustained campaign, driven by a large number of
volunteers all over the country.
Rationale
Diagnosis of cancer begins a long journey that can affect physical
health, mental well-being and relationships with loved ones.
Quality of life - the overall well-being of a cancer patient, is greatly
influenced by a number of factors and has a lot more effects on
other aspects of the patient as well as her family. Some of the
common contributory factors to breast cancer include early
menarche, late menopause, no breast feeding, no or late pregnancy
and dietary factors. In Pakistan, though, the role of BRCA (Breast
Cancer) genes, relating to a positive family history, is becoming
more apparent. This could be one of the reasons that younger
females, early twenties and late twenties are pouring in with the
4

signs and symptoms of breast cancer. This, on one hand is quite
contrary to the prevalent trend of the occurrence of breast cancer
and on the other hand is alarming because of its repercussions on
the future mothers and their children and families.
Women’s Rights Violation
In Pakistan 75 percent of breast cancer patients may die in five
years if no treatment is given to them and rest of the 25 percent
would die in the next five years. The treatment of breast cancer in
Pakistan ranged from no treatment to quick mutilating resection,
thus breast cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality
among women in Pakistan. In a country like Pakistan, where 43%
of the population is living below the poverty line, unable to meet
the needs of food, clothing and shelter, the provision of treatment
of breast cancer becomes more difficult . Majority of the families
either find themselves unable to go for the treatment or had to
discontinue it at any stage due to the financial stress associated
with it. Lack of awareness and financial capacity deprive women
from their basic right of treatment of the deadly disease.
Socio-economic status (SES) and survival rate
Strong association has been noted between low SES and advanced
breast cancer, delay in diagnosis, limited access to Minimal
Expected Treatment (MET) and inferior Disease Free Survival
(DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). On the other hand, almost all
rural women and a large percentage of women of urban lower
income families are directly involved in income generation for the
family. The family income is thus tangibly affected if the health of
women is not assured.
Reproductive Health
Not having children or late motherhood tend to increase the
possibility of breast cancer. Women who have their first child after
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
A Life Worth Living…
the age of 30 or who have never had children run a slightly higher
risk for contracting breast cancer than do women who give birth
before reaching age 30. Young women who undergo chemotherapy
for breast cancer face serious consequences to their reproductive
health. It is estimated that 1 in 3,000 pregnancies are complicated
by breast cancer. However, newly diagnosed breast cancer in
pregnancy, has no immediate effect on the fetus as breast cancer
cells do not pass from the mother to the fetus.
Presently, abortion, miscarriage and the use of birth control pills,
are also being researched for any association with the risk for CA
Breast. However, the link still remains unproven, requiring further
research in this area.
Breast feeding
Multiple studies have demonstrated that breast feeding is
associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. In addition, the
longer a woman breast feed the better are her chances of cancer
protection. Breast feeding protects the baby from various diseases,
develops bond between mother and baby and is a source of natural
birth spacing. However, there is evidence that breast feeding is on
the decline in many developing countries. In 1991-92, a nationwide
survey was conducted in Pakistan to collect baseline health
information on a variety of maternal and child health issues. Survey
results indicated that fewer mothers are currently breast feeding
their children, and that mothers who do breast-feed often
supplement breast milk unnecessarily and/or stop breast feeding
earlier. Possible explanations for the decline in breast feeding need
to be explored and more effective breast feeding promotion
campaigns should be designed.
Mother and child health
Maternal health problems are widespread, complicated in part by
frequent births. In Pakistan of every 38 women who give birth, 1
5
 A Life Worth Living…

dies. The infant mortality rate (101 per 1,000) and the mortality
rate for children under age five (140 per 1,000 births) exceed the
averages for low-income countries by 60% and 36%, respectively.
In Pakistan about 19% of the population is malnourished, a higher
rate than the 17% average for developing countries and 30% of
children under age five are malnourished. The situation becomes
adverse for children whose mothers are sufferers of breast cancer.
Children, from zero to two years of age, of diseased mothers not
only suffer because they could not be breast fed but also could not
be properly taken care of by their mothers because of the strain of
the disease. In addition to this, in a family where a cancer patient
is being treated, financial stress also increases and makes it more
difficult to cater the nutritional and health needs of the family.
Nutrition and Physical Activity (NuPA)
Scientific evidence suggests that about one-third of the cancer
deaths that occur in industrialized countries each year are due to
nutrition and physical activity factors, including obesity. This
proportion is thought to be about 20% in developing countries,
but is likely to grow as other countries adopt a more “Western
lifestyle”. Among women increased body weight and weight gain
during adulthood are linked with a higher risk of breast cancer after
menopause. Alcohol also increases risk to some extent, especially
in women whose intake of folate is low.

Any attempt to reduce the prevalence of breast cancer in the

country will definitely, in turn, benefit the health of the children
and lead to a healthier, prosperous nation. Life is precious… in order to
Marital relationship… A bond to keep
For victims of breast cancer, it involves more than just physical
save it the Idea of Nutrition
sickness, patients and their families often suffer the psychological
consequences of trying to come to grips with this deadly disease. It
and Physical Activity (NuPA)
severely impacts women’s personal lives and relationships,
sometimes shattering them completely as they feel that they cannot emphasizes community to
perform wifely acts and the disease has strong effect on sexuality.
This problem is particularly pronounced in the Pakistani culture change their eating habits and
and society where relationships are so powerfully governed by
social norms and rules. An increase in divorce rate amongst
women who are diagnosed with breast cancer has also been seen.
include exercise in their daily
Thus women who are diagnosed with breast cancer not only need
physical treatment but they also need the psychological and
routines.
emotional support.

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Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
 A Life Worth Living…

Vision
Pink Ribbon Pakistan strives to significantly reduce breast cancer
Pink Ribbon Campaign’s
mortality in the country by creating widespread awareness on early
detection and increased access to treatment. strategy is to solicit wide
Mission support for the campaign,
To create widespread awareness about breast cancer and to
become a Center of Excellence for Breast Care Information in create a nationwide awakening
Pakistan.
to the problem and build long
Ideology
The Ideology of the campaign focus on the following points: term sustainable platform
1. The dangerously high level of incidence of breast cancer in
Pakistan
2. The disease is curable and need not be made fatal The stakeholders
3. The disease can be detected early, even by simple self diagnosis • Women, 16+ age group, in all walks of life and both urban and
and rural.
4. That life after cancer is worth living • The Media
• Local, provincial and federal governments
• National and International funding agencies
Objectives • Corporate sector for their Corporate Social Responsibility
The objectives of the campaign are to:
• The medical profession, especially female doctors
• Make Breast Cancer an acceptable topic in the public domain
• The general public
in Pakistan
• Create widespread awareness about Breast Cancer and key
aspects – its high incidence, its seriousness leading to fatality, Strategic Approach
impact on the life of the sufferer and the whole family and also The framework of the campaign has been woven around the
the good news that if detected early, Breast Cancer may be following strategies and guiding principles
cured a) Establishing the need and the urgency to launch this campaign,
• Promote understanding and practice of self diagnosis b) Soliciting wide support,
• Evoke empathy in the right quarters to support the cause c) Creating a national level awakening to the problem,
d) Creating a long-term, sustainable platform.
• Motivate people to contribute funds for campaign execution

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Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
 A Life Worth Living…

The march starts… Working with the Government

The Pink Ribbon Campaign used multi-pronged
strategies to address the needs of different
stakeholders. Events and activities have been
planned strategically to reflect the core
relationships of the campaign. The following
paragraphs will throw light on the work done so
far. The diagram below shows the areas that have
been focused during the campaign:
The role of government could not be denied in the provision of
treatment facilities for all, especially for the poorest of the poor
therefore, government needs to be sensitized in this regard.
Pink Ribbon being a humanitarian cause has been fortunate to
have support of Government dignitaries beyond political
affiliation. The Campaign started off with a Top to Bottom
Approach, by working to change the mindsets and policies of the
top policy makers. Towards this end, the Campaign has managed
to gain support from the First Lady of Pakistan, Wife of the Prime
Minister of Pakistan, Wife of the Governor Punjab and Wife of
Governor Balochistan.

Working with During last several years the campaign has also been privileged to
Government have support of different Excellencies holding the office of
Corporate Minister and Secretary of Ministry of Women Development,
Social Strategic Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Responsibility Alliances at Federal and Provincial levels.

To establish Public Private Partnership, Memorandum of

Understanding (MoUs) have also been signed with the following
Pink ministries:
Ribbon • Federal Ministry of Women Development
Campaign Networking • Ministry of Women Development and Social Welfare,
Involving Pakistan with Women Government of Punjab, and
Youth Groups • Ministry of Women Development, Government of Sindh

Pink Ribbon being a humanitarian cause has

been fortunate to have support of Government
Media Celebrity
Endorsement
dignitaries beyond political affiliation.

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Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
 A Life Worth Living…

Free Mammography Service Planned
In recognition of the struggle done by the Pink Ribbon Campaign
Pakistan in promoting awareness against breast cancer, the
FederalGovernment has planned to establish breast screening centers
in five major public hospitals in the country to provide free
mammography and screening services to women. These hospitals
include:
• Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS),Islamabad
• Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi
• Sheikh Zayed Medical Complex (SZMC), Lahore
• Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Federal Hospital, Quetta and
• Federal Government Medical Centre, Peshawar
Seeking More Support
Government of Pakistan has developed a population policy, which
emphasizes Reproductive Health (Breast and cervical cancer being
part of the RH). However about a couple of years back, after a
consultative process of all the stakeholders, only four components
of RH (FP, infant health, maternal health and STD/HIV) were
selected as top priority. We intend to lobby with key policy
planners to include breast cancer in RH package.
National Assembly, beyond political affiliations, to discuss breast
cancer related issues, to raise concerns with government and other
policy makers and to take action on behalf of people suffering with
breast cancer.
Strategic Alliances
In its efforts to expand its scope, the campaign intends to build
linkages with different teaching hospitals, health related institutions
and health care professionals. The strategic alliances so far
developed include:
Aga Khan University
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Aga Khan
University Karachi and Pink Ribbon Pakistan has been signed.
Both organizations agreed to collaborate in extending advisory
services, academic support and developing case studies for the
Government of Pakistan for inclusion of breast cancer in
reproductive health package and setting up a cancer registry in
Pakistan. AKU will also provide support to Pink Ribbon in
nationwide training program of lady health workers.

Similarly, a ‘Cancer Registry’ needs to be established for recording

and maintaining a database that is a true representative of the
country. This database could be effectively used in research and
planning long term strategies to combat this deadly disease.

Formation of All Parties Parliamentary Committee

Consultations are underway to form an All Parties Parliamentary
Committee on breast cancer to provide a forum for Members of
9
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan

Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore
Another MoU has been signed between National Breast Cancer
Awareness Campaign and Fatima Jinnah Medical College (FJMC).
According to this MoU, FJMC will facilitate with trained human
resource. A Well Women Clinic has also been established in Ganga
Ram Hospital as an outcome of the joint collaboration of both the
organizations.
The possibility of developing such linkages with other institutions
is also being explored.
Fellowship Awarded by ACSU
The National Coordinator of National
Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
Pakistan, Omer Aftab, was selected by
American Cancer Society to receive two
scholarships to attend American Cancer
Society University (ACSU) training. The
first training was in May 2006 in Seattle,
Washington, and the follow-up training was in
March 2007 in Istanbul, Turkey.
ACSU is the signature programme of the Society's international
effort working to strengthen the capacity of emerging Cancer
Societies in developing countries.
Networking with Women Groups
Pink Ribbon Pakistan strategically plans to take advantage of
already established women groups and networks to increase its
Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
A Life Worth Living…
outreach. The campaign is open to requests from any organization
to collaborate in spreading awareness to maximum number of
women across the country.
Girl Guide Association
An orientation was given by Pink Ribbon Pakistan at Girl Guide
House on the eve of annual Youth convention; ‘Voices of Young
Leaders’. The audience mainly comprised of young girl guides
from various educational institutes from all over the Punjab hence
the occasion was quite appropriate to sensitize maximum number
of young girls even from the remote areas. Since Girl Guides act
as team leaders and are engaged in various social activities they
were the right target audience to spread the message at a large
scale.
Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association
A workshop was arranged in collaboration with the Pakistan
Foreign Office Women Association (PFOWA) at Foreign Office
Islamabad. This Association has been formed by the wives of the
bureaucrats working in the Foreign Office. PFOWA contributes to
the empowerment of women, promotion of education, provision
of welfare facilities, medical assistance, disaster relief, assisting the
disabled and financial aid for widows and orphans. PFOWA has
also agreed to conduct more awareness and fund raising activities
for Pink Ribbon Pakistan.
Masroor Air Base, Karachi
A community based awareness drive has been initiated at Masroor
Air Base, Karachi by a volunteer of Pink Ribbon Pakistan. It is the
largest Air Base of Pakistan with almost 4,000 households. In its
efforts to impart awareness, information material about self
examination and early detection has been distributed among the
wives of PAF officers. The owners and workers of beauty parlors
10
 A Life Worth Living…

have been contacted and Pink Ribbon brochures are being arranged by the students on a voluntary
disseminated among the clients through them. The awareness drive
is also looking forward to visit colleges and hospitals at the base basis, reflected their passion and proved
and to equip them with necessary information about the early
detection of CA Breast. to be a source for polishing their skills as
well.
Rousing Youth
Recent trends have shown that young girls in early twenties are also
very likely to be hit by breast cancer and due to prevailing
misconceptions no one ever suspects this deadly disease in a young
girl. Pink Ribbon Youth Awareness Program was initiated on
“World Cancer Day” i.e. 4th February 2007 with an aim to reach
300,000 girls through 300 girls colleges and universities of
Pakistan, recognized by Higher Education Commission. It intends
to provide knowledge through leaflets and posters in both English
and Urdu, followed by a series of seminars and lectures of
specialist doctors. Through this campaign, young women will be
informed about self-examination and early diagnostic methods, and
may also resultantly prove to be influencers for their mothers and
other women in their families to remain health conscious and get
regular check-ups.

Enthusiastic Youth… In continuation of this program, seminars have been held at:
• Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore
from the Mass Communication
• Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
Department of Lahore College for Women • Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore
University prepared two documentaries • King Edward Medical College, Lahore
• Lahore College for Women University, Lahore
and a short play for the Pink Ribbon. • Punjab University, Department of Applied Psychology
This Mock Media Campaign on • Islamabad College for Girls, Islamabad
• International Islamic University Women Campus,
Awareness regarding Breast Cancer, Islamabad

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Report Pink Ribbon Pakistan
 A Life Worth Living…

• Overseas Pakistani Foundation School and College, A Pink Ribbon Week was
Islamabad
• Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi celebrated at LUMS. Main events
• Aga Khan University, Karachi organized during the week included:
Musical concert was organized by the Sale of Pink Ribbon Merchandise for
students of Kinnaird College for Women, fund raising,
Lahore. This volunteer driven event raised Panel discussion emphasizing the social
awareness amongst the students and and psychological aspects associated with
also helped to generate funds for the Breast Cancer
campaign. and an informal female only session on
breast self examination.
Other than Pakistani students, many international students have
also shown keen interest in the Pink Ribbon Pakistan. The This volunteer driven initiative,
campaign has hosted interns from Houston, Florida and McGill. attracted many more volunteers
One of the Pink Ribbon intern was given Violet Richardson Award for the campaign.
by Soroptimist International while another intern acquired
Fulbright Scholarship on the basis of the recommendation from
the campaign.

The campaign also receives requests from international students

for research projects. Some of the requests have been from: Seneca
College, Toronto, Canada; Stanford University, California and
Parson’s School of Design, New York.

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Lady Health Worker’s Program • Conduct one-to-one interviews with survivors to learn more
National Program for Family Planning and Primary Healthcare has about how they are dealing with their cancer and how their
100,000 Lady Health Workers (LHWs) working in almost every care can be improved.
part of Pakistan and providing primary healthcare facilities to the • Connect members with other survivors
community.
“There should be professional
A single LHW is posted for 1,000 houses. One supervisor is
assigned the task of supervising 30 LHWs. psychiatrists in hospitals that can
LHWs report to their supervisors once per week and submit their provide instant consolation. Being
progress reports. Every LHW maintains a register of logistics. detected with breast cancer is a great
Pink Ribbon Pakistan intends to initiate a nationwide training shock for a woman. Leaving aside
program of LHWs to educate, diagnose the disease and refer new
cases to tertiary care hospitals. Besides working as a support group, emotional shock, only the physical pain
they can be effective counselors for those already suffering with stays for 2-3 years,”
the disease.

Due to the efforts of Pink Ribbon Pakistan, as a first step, a

chapter about self examination has been added into the training
says Miss Sheikh, A Survivor…
manual of the LHWs.

Survivor’s Network
The Pink Ribbon Campaign has initiated a Breast Cancer
Survivor’s Network to improve survival from Breast Cancer and
the quality of life after diagnosis for patients and their loved
ones…
The scope of the Survivor’s Network includes:
• Social and emotional support
• Link survivors with patients as role models
• Provide culturally specific educational materials to survivors
and their families
Encouraging Corporate Social
Responsibility
In order to comply with the international standards and
benchmarks the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
is growing in Pakistan also. Pink Ribbon Pakistan wants to be the
part of the ongoing CSR programs of the national as well as
multinational businesses in order to gain support for the campaign.

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Dinner hosted by British High Commissioner lectures almost 200 female employees were trained about the risk
A Pink Ribbon dinner was organized, to introduce the campaign to factors, early detection and self examination.
the corporate world and to seek their support, at the British High
Commission Karachi The campaign also plans to replicate such initiatives at other
hosted by Mrs Sheila Lyall corporations so as to raise awareness level of the employees
Grant and Mr Mark Lyall regarding CA Breast and to help organizations in fulfilling their
Grant (British High Corporate Social Responsibility.
Commissioner). The event
was attended by business
elite and heads of the
leading national and Sponsorships – Sharing Vision
international corporations
like; Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Karachi Stock Pink Ribbon Pakistan- A non funded campaign has been able to
Exchange, Unilever, Atlas Group of Companies, Shell, Dadabhoy
motivate many corporate companies to sponsor different endeavours.
Cement, Oxford University Press, Bank Al Habib, Sheraton Hotel,
Novartis Pharma, Eli Lilly, Philips, Reckitt Benckiser, HSBC, The campaign not only encourages such kind acts but also hopes
ABN-Amro Bank and Citibank N.A. that the spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility further amplifies
in the days to come… Our esteemed sponsors include:
‘Pink Ribbon Day’ at UniLever
‘Pink Ribbon Day’ was celebrated at the Head Office of UniLever Mobilink Ferozesons Laboratories
Pakistan in Karachi. This activity served two purposes’ on one World Call Roche’
hand it provided information about breast cancer situation in
PTCL Novartis
Pakistan and on the other hand it also inculcated the idea of
Corporate Social Responsibility. UniLever Manager CSR while Ufone Eli Lilly
speaking on the occasion said “Huge responsibility comes after taking this Pepsi ICI
initiative, but since Unilever believes in the concept of Pink Ribbon, it will Haleeb Foods Hashoo Group
extend every support to the campaign”. Awareness material was also United Bank Dewaan Group
distributed among the staff. Citi Bank Shell
Askari Bank Unilever
Series of lectures at Mobilink Call Centre Kodak
Mobilink, the leading mobile network company, was approached
and sensitized on the issue. As a result of which, a series of nine
lectures were delivered at Mobilink Call Center, Lahore. In these

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Celebrity Endorsement which was considered a forbidden subject by the government and
masses alike.
Support Continues…
Having lost a very dear
aunt to breast cancer, I am
“Women in Pakistan are so shy that
determined to help keep more than 50% of breast cancer patients
women talking about the do not even report to healthcare
signs, how to spot them and
professionals and eventually fall in the
what to do if they find a
breast change. That is one of trap of death”
the reasons why, for the last seven years, I’ve been
During her visit, she met the First Lady, for the confirmation of
Patron of Breast Cancer Care, the organization that her support in this epic cause. She also met wife of Prime Minister,
has been listening and talking to people about breast Patron of Friends of Pink Ribbon Pakistan, who hosted a dinner in
cancer for over 30 years. I’m lucky to be able to help her honor.
spread a vital message that I’m passionate about- Mrs. Blair also
that all women, regardless of age or background, attended a seminar at
need to know their own bodies and should feel able to Fatima Jinnah
talk to their doctor should they find a change in their Medical College
where she shared her
breast that’s unusual for them. experiences with
leading doctors from
I send my best wishes and support you in your all over the country
and voiced her
efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer. concern about Third
(Cherie Blair) World countries with
regard to Breast
Mrs. Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Cancer.
Blair, made a private visit to Pakistan in April 2006 on the
invitation of Pink Ribbon Pakistan. Her stay was of just eight days A fundraising dinner was also held at the Governor's House
but she accomplished a great deal in this short time for the cause Lahore where renowned businessmen and philanthropists were
present to pledge their support to the cause.

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Support from Mrs. Cherie Blair still continues with an increased

level of interest in the cause as she plans to revisit Pakistan in the Campaigning through Media
near future. Impressive development of civil societies across the globe and
especially in developing countries owed its development to
responsible and dynamic media. A massive media campaign has
Jagjit Singh’s tour de Pakistan been carried out by Pink Ribbon Pakistan to get maximum
Ghazal Maestro, Jagjit Singh, was invited to Pakistan by the
coverage about the issue and to disseminate the awareness
National Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign for a musical tour
message.
themed “Music for Peace”. The legend performed live in Pakistan
for the first time. The concert was not only entertaining for
thousands of people attending the event but also proved to be an
excellent fund raiser for the campaign. Main objective of the event
was to spread breast cancer awareness to all echelons of the society The word “B” …
and it served its
purpose well.
Converting media’s resent into their
consent…
The Prime
Minister of India,
sensitized on the According to the Press Freedom Report 2001-2002:
issue of high “ Under the present code of ethics, the difference between obscenity
prevalence of and education is a blur. For example a program on breast cancer is
Breast Cancer in not an educational one but a vulgar program.”
the region and to support Pink Ribbon Pakistan, sent Jagjit Singh
as his “Goodwill Ambassador”.
Getting media to comply was a secondary challenge, just making
them recognize the high prevalence of breast cancer in Pakistan, the
Beyond Borders importance of creating awareness and the need for mass
Ashwariya Rai, former Miss World and a renowned Bollywood
star, in recognition of the efforts being done by the campaign, communication had been our greatest trial. Pink Ribbon
showed her deep concern over the increasing number of breast Campaign’s strategic approach made media realize the gravity of the
cancer patients in Pakistan and lack of awareness about the disease. issue and breast cancer has now become part of the health programs.
In response to the invitation from Pink Ribbon Pakistan she also
showed interest in visiting Pakistan to support the campaign.

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The Pink Ribbon Campaign Pakistan was selected from 239 campaigns which were judged by an international jury of 44 senior practitioners drawn from 26
countries. Criteria used by the jury included the competence and quality of each entry demonstrated in terms of research, planning, execution & evaluation,
clarity of message, creativity and ethics as well as local conditions in the country of origin.
Pink Ribbon Campaign is the first Pakistani campaign which has been honoured with International Public Relations
Association (IPRA) Front Line Golden World Award 2005 in the 50 years history of the International Public Relations
Association for excellence in public relations.

IPRA is an apex body for international public relations practitioners representing the interests and professional standards of
members from over 96 countries.

The media coverage gave a boost to the campaign by bringing to
the limelight different events organized at the National and
Provincial levels. The National Coordinator of the campaign has
been invited by different TV Channels for special interviews and
briefings elaborating the objectives and achievements of the
campaign, especially during October, the Pink Ribbon Month.
Similarly, various newspapers and magazines printed special articles
on the situation of breast cancer in Pakistan and the services Pink
Ribbon Pakistan is extending to curb this deadly monster. Along
with these special transmissions and publications, the media also
gave due coverage to various Pink Ribbon activities carried
through out the country on an ongoing basis.
In 2006 Press Information Department (PID) aired Public Service
ads, first time ever on Breast Cancer, from all State run TV
channels. These ads were aired in support of the campaign and the
wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan delivered the message.
International media also gave momentous exposure to the
campaign by giving significant coverage to different events. Events
that were given special coverage include: the visit of Jagjit Singh,
the support from former Miss World, Ashwariya Rai, Frontline
Golden World Award 2005, etc.
Lots of international channels and newspapers gave coverage
including Voice of America, Yahoo News, Daily Mail, The Times,
Khaleej Times, Oman Times, Hindustan Times, etc.
Ms Fiona Bruce and Ms Eve Conway from BBC made a
documentary on the visit of Cherie Blair to Pakistan. This 30
minute documentary was woven interestingly, showing at one hand
the warm welcome and celebrations organized in honor of the
celebrity and on the other hand was depictive of the plight of a
young girl, named Minahil residing in one of the villages of Punjab,
after the death of her mother due to breast cancer. This
documentary was aired from all channels of BBC throughout the
world for over a month and generated lot of support for the
campaign.

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From Distress to Hope… Extending friendly hand…

Minahil, 11 years old girl…living in village
Rosay of Sheikhupura District of Punjab,
Pakistan, shares her pain of losing her
mother due to Breast Carcinoma. Every
morning the family gathers to mourn at their
mother’s grave. Minahil too has been coming
to her mother’s grave for the last six years but the pain of the loss
has not lessened with time.
“We wish she was here with us…she used to make sure that we eat
properly…she would buy us clothes and get us ready for school…I
miss her a lot.”
In an interview given to BBC during the visit of Cherie Blair to
Pakistan, Minahil shared her wish of becoming doctor but her
father, a poor illiterate farmer, is not able to bear the cost of it. This
interview, telecasted from different channels of BBC throughout the
world, make Mr Michael Seagrim, a Britisher, approach Minahil
and promised to bear all the educational cost of her studies.
With a sparkle in her eyes, Minahil is optimistic about a brilliant
future ahead while the photo of her deceased mother still remains as
one of her most prized possessions…
Friends of Pink Ribbon are volunteer-based support groups for the
Pink Ribbon Campaign. These support groups have been
established in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi and are functioning
as part of the campaign to bring about awareness of breast cancer.
Mrs. Sheila Lyall Grant, the wife of the then British High
Commissioner in Pakistan was the founding Chairperson.
A number of fundraising events have been arranged by the Friends
of Pink Ribbon to gather funds for the campaign. They have also
been involved in a number of other ground activities at their
locations to spread the knowledge about breast cancer.
‘Friends of Pink Ribbon’ held activities
among diplomatic community based in
Islamabad that include:
• Coffee morning at Australian High
Commission
• Pink Ribbon Party at the French Club
• Pink Ribbon Dinner at Canadian
Club and
• Awareness and Fund Raiser at
British High Commission and the
United Nations Club.

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The campaign is on its way and still has a long path to follow. This Raising
journey could be facilitated by the support you offer by allocating
some of your time for voluntary work or through donations, Funds
thereby ensuring that the work Pink Ribbon Pakistan is doing, will
continue. Your contribution depends on your skills and interest. Voluntarily…
Essentially, the campaign wants to increase public awareness and
raise money for the provision of treatment facilities. This can be
accomplished through public speaking, organizing seminars, Pink Ribbon Nursery Rhyme
symposium, organizing fund raising events, handling the Book and CD was prepared by
administration and maintaining media contacts, etc. As a volunteer-
driven organization, the campaign absolutely depends on others to volunteers of the campaign,
lend a helping hand in combating breast cancer in Pakistan. namely, Ms Kristen Glue, Ms
The ownership of the campaign by the volunteers and friends of Karolina Thouvenin and Ms
Pink Ribbon has given a sharp boost to the campaign within a Francesca Weichert, as their
short span of time and has become a reason of its tremendous
success. Doctors, also, are not only supporting the cause but also attempt to raise funds for the Pink Ribbon
extend a long term friendship in voluntarily spreading awareness Pakistan. It took almost five months from the
against this deadly disease.
inception of the idea to its realization and all
the work was done voluntarily.
Pink Ribbon Merchandise
For the purposes of promoting the cause of Pink Ribbon and fund
raising, a number of products have been designed and launched in
the market. These include metal pins, ribbons, wrist bands and
nursery rhyme books and CDs. Pink Ribbon Pakistan also plans to
introduce more products in future. Products that have so far been
developed can be purchased from the stalls arranged at Pink
Ribbon events or directly from the office of Pink Ribbon Pakistan.
Pink Ribbon Merchandise has also been put on sale at various
commercial spots and cafes of Lahore e.g. CTC Café, Kap’s Café,
Hobnob, Hall Mark and Ferozsons and at Nomad Gallery, Organic
Food Shop, Canadian Health Centre and Saeed Book Depot in
Islamabad.

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Moving Ahead… Future Projects Training of Patients’ families

In addition to the ongoing programs, Pink Ribbon Pakistan aims to As part of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, in the
expand its scope by adding some service delivery components into future the families of the patients will also be trained to better
its future projects. They include: understand the disease so that they can be pillars of emotional and
psychological support for those who have breast cancer.
Mobile Mammogram
Since there is a lack of medical facilities and doctors in the rural
areas, where people have to walk many miles to get to a hospital, it
is extremely difficult for women to get a mammogram regularly.
To aid this, the campaign plans to acquire mobile mammogram
bus so that even in locations where there is no easy access to
hospitals, women can get regular checkups.

Well-women breast clinics

The campaign plans to set up at least four dedicated ‘Well-women
Breast Clinics’ with state-of-the-art facilities in remote areas in each
province like Multan for Punjab, Nawabshah for Sindh, Mardan
for N.W.F.P. and Quetta for Baluchistan to reach the maximum
women with the lowest socio economic status.

Initiating Research
The campaign plans on initiating research to investigate the
increase in incidence rate of breast cancer in Pakistan, why the
disease is appearing more in young girls and what are the high risk
areas, etc. This kind of research has been sadly neglected in
Pakistan, however, Pink Ribbon Pakistan aims to draw attention
towards this aspect as well.

Toll Free helpline

Pink Ribbon Pakistan also plans to establish a 0-800 toll free
helpline where people can call and get more information about
breast cancer, its risk factors, symptoms etc.

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