WOMEN are known to put others above themselves.
While busy caring for loved ones, whether as wives, mothers or daughters, they often put their own needs last, especially those health related.
Working mums in particular, juggle multiple roles and there's a tendency to postpone or put off health screening which could have serious implications.
Sunway Medical Centre consultant breast surgeon, Dr Ng Char Hong, says in Malaysia, 3 out of 4 women over 40 have never had a mammogram, while 1 in 2 do not practise breast self-examination, two of the most common methods to detect suspicious lumps in the breast.
Dr Ng says awareness on the need for consistent breast care is still very much lacking and the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey highlighted the exceedingly low rate of breast cancer screening.
There is misconception, stigma and fear among women with regards to breast cancer and screening for the disease aside from challenges in life that they face, like juggling home and other responsibilities, all of which contribute to low screening.
Studies have shown that only a low proportion of women know the signs and symptoms (42.6 per cent) or risk factors (16.5 per cent) of breast cancer while only 17.8 per cent have ever been screened for breast cancer.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in Malaysia and the world but with early detection, survival rates are higher.
"We have all the screening methods in place but the easiest is to do a breast self examination. How many women do one every month?" questions Dr Ng.
The answer is actually very few because most women do not know how to examine their one breasts.
Dr Ng says they are not taught how to do so in schools or guided by their mothers who probably feel uncomfortable discussing the subject.
This lack of knowledge can be problematic because when women finally detect something suspicious in their breast, the lump is already quite big.
While lack of time may be one reason why women put off having mammograms, other factors include the misconception that mammograms are painful or even that they cause cancer.
Dr Ng says while mammograms may be uncomfortable, the newer ones are certainly much less so and women should not avoid having this important screening.
CATCH IT EARLY
Mammograms detect cancer at an early stage, ensuring a better outcome for the patient and certainly, the process of having one will not cause cancer as some people assume.
The other hurdle in protecting women's health is the fact that some women avoid screening because they fear the results.
There are also those who may do a screening but refuse to follow up if anything suspicious is detected.
There are fears over losing their breasts should they be diagnosed with breast cancer or coping with the side effects of cancer treatment like hair loss.
All these result in some women going to great lengths to avoid having a mammogram.
Dr Ng points out that these fears are unjustified as early detection ensures better outcomes and with new techniques in surgery and developments in treatment, most women don't end up losing their breasts.
Founder of The Asian Women (TAW), Polin Lim, says what we really need in Malaysia is to have conversations around the breast normalised.
The breast, as a body part, tends to be over sexualised and this needs to change, she stresses.
"In Malaysia, 60-70 per cent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at stages 2-3. If we can start having these conversations among women, we could detect it much earlier and women would have so many more options."
DON'T WAIT
WHEN it comes to health, don't put it off. Taking your time is not the right approach when it comes to a health issue.
In a bid to send this message across to women, Roche Malaysia, in partnership with The Asian Women (TAW) and the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), has launched the Her Time Matters campaign.
This multifaceted breast cancer campaign champions health empowerment, engagement and personal decision making. The goal is to inspire behavioural change among women and encourage proactive management of their own health.
Roche Malaysia general manager, Deepti Saraf, says women are by nature self-sacrificing, placing others first, whether it's their husbands, children or even the family pet.
"We often lack awareness and urgency to focus on our own health needs," she says.
Only 12 per cent of women worldwide are screened for any kind of cancer and that's a disappointing figure.
Deepti adds that time and health are two precious assets which we don't appreciate until it is depleted and women must make time for the thing that matters most - their own health.
To take place until Jan 2023, Her Time Matters aims to close the gap in three areas - awareness, health empowerment and inspiration and transform the landscape and mode of care of breast cancer in Malaysia.
It will include a concerted online education programme, health talks, partnerships with insurance companies to look into women's health policies and hospitals for screening.