Gurugram, October 10, 2024: Cricketer, cancer survivor and philanthropist Yuvraj Singh’s YouWeCan Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that works extensively in the field of public health in India with a focus on cancer control, has launched an advertising campaign called ‘Your Health is in Your Hands’ on the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The campaign aims to create awareness among women about the need for regular self-breast-examination for early-stage detection of breast cancer. It will be run in the women’s coach of Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) throughout the month of October. Additionally, the campaign will be run on the social media pages of the Foundation.
Regarding the need for more awareness and screening for early detection of breast cancer, Mr Yuvraj Singh said, “Breast cancer continues to take many lives in India, even though early detection can improve survival rates. The main challenge we face is the stigma which prevents important conversations about breast health. At YouWeCan, we believe no woman should have to suffer and for this we aim to raise awareness, encourage regular screenings, and create a supportive environment for women. Our goal is to ensure every woman has access to the information and care she needs to stay healthy.”
In India, a woman dies of breast cancer every 8 minutes (Source: Breast Cancer India – a complete resource on Breast Cancer in India). The high mortality rate is due to lack of awareness and delay in screening and diagnosis. As per NFHS-5, only 9 out of 100 women have ever participated in breast cancer screening in India. Many women with breast cancer have no symptoms. This is why regular breast cancer screening is so important. The first step to fight cancer is by fighting ignorance for a disease that affects all the women of India and is projected to grow up to 3 million by 2023 around the world.
The ‘Your Health is in Your Hands’ campaign uses oranges as metaphors for breasts to showcase that women’s health is in their hands, literally. This aims to divert their attention into understanding that they can examine their breasts regularly every month, to notice any abnormal signs or lumps that are currently unknown to them and detect any danger signs early. The anticipated reach of the month-long campaign in Delhi Metro is 1.5 Lakh. Another 10 Lakh people are expected to be reached through the social media campaign.
Through this campaign, YouWeCan Foundation endeavours to bring about two emotions: shock and curiosity. The element of shock would be generated through statistics that are real and that show that all women, no matter which strata of the society they belong to, are at risk and how early detection can save lives. The campaign would also aim at making women curious about the signs and symptoms they should look for during self-examination of their breasts. In order to do that, women need to leave shame behind and know their breasts well.
Yuvraj Singh’s mother Mrs Shabnam Singh, who is the Chairperson of YouWeCan Foundation,emphasised on the need for regular self-examination and screening and explained what the Foundation aims to achieve through this campaign. She said, “In today’s busy world, it’s easy to forget the importance of looking after ourselves. Regular self-examinations and screenings are not just medical steps—they are acts of care for our own well-being. By taking control of our health, we protect both ourselves and those we love. Through this campaign, our Foundation aims to raise awareness about the power of early detection. We are dedicated to ensuring that every woman has the knowledge and access to regular screenings. No one should have to face breast cancer alone. Together, we can build a supportive community focused on awareness, prevention, and survival.”
Oranges have been used as the metaphors for breasts to catch the attention of the audience and impart information on why knowing your body and checking could save your life. The campaign has two main text panels; the first panel expresses the need to ‘get to know your oranges’ and build curiosity on ‘How?’ while the second panel mentions how checking your oranges could save your life. When one looks closely at the stack of oranges, they will notice different prominent signs of breast cancer that often go unnoticed.
