Our Impact – Giving hope
Today, let me narrate a true story:
Hirabai, a 65 years old woman lives in Pratiksha Nagar, a low income township in Sion Koliwada area of Mumbai. The community consists of 45,000 people living in one room dwellings with communal water and bathroom facilities. Hirabai had heard of a ‘Breast Cancer Program’ which was reaching out to women in her community to talk about breast cancer and giving information about this disease.
This ‘Breast Cancer Program’ was initiated in Dec 2013 under the auspices of Somaiya Medical Hospital and is being funded totally by Maina Foundation for a period of 5 years, till Dec 2018. To facilitate the implementation of the program with the current resources, a group of 1,500 women are being monitored by the hospital appointed staff. Hirabai heard about this program through her sister in law, who underwent CBE (clinical breast examination) at the Somaiya Hospital clinic operated in Pratiksha Nagar.
Based on the recommendation made by her sister-in-law, Hirabai decided to get herself checked out as well. On evaluation by the physicians, she was diagnosed with stage three DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). She underwent modified radical mastectomy of left breast at Somaiya Hospital. The post surgical treatment involves four cycles of chemotherapy which will be administered by the doctor at the same hospital. The cost of the treatment is being covered by Maina Foundation since the patient’s financial situation is unable to afford the treatment with the generic drugs. The total cost of the chemotherapy will be approximately $2,000.
Her daughter has been motivated to undergo screening mammography and will be covered under our program. It is fortunate that Hirabai’s cancer was detected due to the awareness generated by our program and will undoubtedly benefit her daughter as well.