World Cancer Day
One week, three women's cancers (cervical, breast, ovarian) — what to know, when to screen, how to act.
World Cancer Day exists because most cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries come from late diagnosis, not from disease aggressiveness. For women, three cancers dominate the load. All three are catchable early with simple screens that India under-uses.
The three we focus on
Cervical
HPV-driven. Vaccine + Pap-smear + HPV-DNA test catch it years before invasion.
Breast
Self-exam + clinical exam + mammogram (40+). India's commonest cancer in women.
Ovarian
Quiet symptoms — bloating, feeling-full quickly, pelvic pain. Ultrasound + CA-125 when patterns persist.
Campaign week
- Feb 1Open
WhatsApp opt-in lives. Daily-card sequence begins.
- Feb 4World Cancer Day
In-Care risk-quiz available; results route to a personalised screening recommendation + provider list.
- Feb 7Close
Sakhi AMA — oncologist + gynaecologist answer the week's top 20 questions.
Common questions
What cancers are most common in Indian women?
Breast (about 1 in 4 women's cancers), cervical, and ovarian dominate. Oral, colorectal and thyroid cancers are rising. Most are catchable early with screening that India under-uses.
Who should get screened, and when?
Pap smear from 21, mammogram from 40 (earlier with family history), HPV vaccine 9–26. Anyone with a first-degree family history (mother, sister) should start earlier — talk to a clinician at /care/care-team.
Where do I go to get screened?
Use the in-Care screening locator to find verified Pap/mammogram/ultrasound providers near you, with cost transparency. Ayushman Bharat empanelled centres cover screening for eligible families.
Are home self-tests reliable?
HPV self-sampling kits are emerging and broadly reliable for cervical screening, but a positive result still needs clinic follow-up. There is no reliable home test for breast or ovarian cancer — see a clinician.
The risk quiz told me I should book a mammogram five years earlier than I thought, because of my aunt. It found a lump that was nothing — but now I know what nothing feels like.
Keep going
This campaign is one nudge. Here's where it leads on SHELY.
Get notified about the next campaign
One short email per week, plus a heads-up when the next women's-health campaign goes live. Indian voices, no spam.
Related campaigns
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
India loses one woman every 8 minutes to cervical cancer — and almost every death is preventable.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
India's commonest women's cancer. Catching it early changes everything — and it starts with knowing your own normal.
First Period · Welcome to the Flow
Year-round. The first time a user logs a first-ever period in Care, this whole experience triggers.