The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Women urged to spread awareness of cancer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 08, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Women urged to spread awareness of cancer

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: More women should participate in spreading cancer awareness and education, V. Shantha, chairperson of the Cancer Institute, said on Sunday.

Taking part in the silver jubilee celebration of Thursday Ladies Club here, she said the disease was curable if detected early. She called upon members of the Club to involve themselves in educating people about the disease.

Noting that the female literacy rate in the State was hardly 50 per cent, she said the percentage of women professionals was much less.

Social Welfare Minister Poongothai handed over to Dr. Shantha a cheque for Rs. 1 lakh given by the Club for the Institute. The Minister expressed concern at young women becoming widows, most of them losing their husbands to HIV/AIDS. While many women made accomplishments, gender discrimination and domestic violence against women persisted.

Savithri Vaithi, chairperson of Vishranthi Home for the Aged, said the lack of care for the aged was turning serious. Chennai had 130 homes for the aged, and commercialisation was increasingly found in the establishment of many such homes.

The Club donated Rs. 10,000 to the Vishranthi Home. Sudha Seshadri, founder of the Club, said the organisation would hold an adult education programme for women this year.

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