Breast Cancer-II: Awareness is the best precaution- An Interview with Dr. Lopamudra Das Roy

(This is the 2nd & final part of the interview)

Dr. Lopamudra Das Roy is the founder and President of Breast Cancer Hub in USA and has devoted herself to the noble cause of spreading awareness on breast cancer in the USA and also throughout the length and breadth of India.

While interacting with Shatakshi Bhattacharjee, Dr. lopamudra said, “After 40 one must go for mammogram.” Her Breast Cancer Hub in the USA provides early detection knowledge, knowledge about dense breast, self breast examination, solution for underprivileged patients towards affordable health care services, treatment options and resources.

Dr. Lopamudra then went on to stress upon a key aspect. She mentioned that yoga plays a key role in this cancer struggle. Practice of yoga could help to reduce anxiety, stress, depression, tiredness of patient.and it improves the quality of sleep, state of mind, spiritual well being in human beings. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer poses severe psychological distress that help to collapse the functional quality of life. In fine, she regarded yoga as a tool which rejuvenates the body functions.

The next point which Dr. Lopamudra Das Roy emphasised was that of our food habits. She stressed on the necessity of inculcating  healthy food habits. She said, “Use of turmeric in our food is very effective because it contains antioxidant. We should consciously avoid processed food, tin packed food, junk food and rather should incorporate organic food in the menu.” She also insisted to avoid refrigerated food which may be regarded as one of the prime cause of cancer.

In India 60 percent of women have dense breast. For those having dense breast, mammogram is not always enough to detect the lump in the breasts. In such instances, Dr. Lopamudra suggested to go for ultra sound. In Indian scenario, the survival rate for patients with breast cancer is quite gloomy. From 14 years of age, people can start self breast examination. This would indeed save many lives from untimely demise. “Look, what I like to emphasis time and again is that nothing can be more important than prevention and for preventing breast cancer, people should have to be made aware,” said Dr. Lopamudra.

Her Breast Cancer Hub is really doing great service to mankind. She herself visited both the urban and rural areas to spread awareness about breast cancer. Dr. Lopamudra said, “Unfortunately, we are the inhabitants of a very conservative societal system here in India .We avoid discussing terms like ‘breast’ in our home. But what needs to be understood here is that breasts should not be treated as a part of sexual activity per se. It is just like any other organ of the body and any signs of abnormality with breasts should be discussed and taken care of at a proper time. The more we become conscious of this fact, the more distance we can be from fatal issues like that of breast cancer.”

It’s a long journey, the journey from darkness to light, from knowledge to ignorance. This is the journey undertaken by Dr. Lopamudra Das Roy, the journey to spread awareness. She is committed to be beside the women in distress as a part of her commitment to walking alongside their journey of life. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned, “Asato Ma Sad Gamaya, Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya, Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya.” This when translated into English means, “Lead us from ignorance to truth, Lead us from darkness to light, Lead us from death to deathlessness.” True to the saying of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Dr Lopamudra Das Roy is carrying forward the light of awareness among the various strata of the society.

(way2barak expresses gratitude to Dr Lopamudra Das Roy for speaking to us. We salute her vision & mission.)

Also Read: Breast Cancer-I: Awareness is the best precaution- An Interview with Dr. Lopamudra Das Roy