12 Kolkata: An online live session on cancer awareness was held at govt schools across the state on Saturday, with experts apprising more than 1 lakh youngsters of ways to prevent cancer, importance of timely detection and the various treatment modalities.
Two cancer specialists reached out to the students through the education department's, Ujjiban Charcha, a webinar platform for schools. The sessions are being organised by Institute of Breast Disease and Asian Medical Foundation, in association with the state department. The organisers said they would apply for Guinness World Records for a cancer awareness programme with the highest number of attendees.
"We learned that a sedentary lifestyle, junk food and habits, like smoking, can contribute to developing cancer," said Raima Saha, a class-X student at Bethune Collegiate School. Close to 400 students watched the doctors speak on a giant screen. An interactive session with the doctors was held. "It was heartening to know certain cancers can be prevented with a vaccine," said Nivedita Saha, a class XII student.
School education department officials, like DI of schools Kolkata (primary) Sayed Mominoor Rahaman, Biswajit Porel and Madhumita Das, attended the session. "This is the first cancer awarness lesson on this webinar platform," said Sarbari Bhattacharyya, head of Bethune School.
Surgical oncologist Soumen Das, one of the speakers, said 70% cancer patients went to doctors at a late stage, impeding treatment outcome. "If we want to change the situation to early detection and prevention, it is important to make the new generation aware," said Das, director, IBD, NCRI Hospital. Medical oncologist Tanmay Mandal of Manipal Hospital, Dhakuria, the other speaker, said, "The sessions may inspire some of them to become a doctor or a scientist."
Nearly 370 students at Santoshpur Rishi Aurobindo Balika Vidyapith watched the webinar. Mithu Mondal of class XII said, "It opened my eyes on the importance of screening and early detection of cancer." The session was moderated by Ivy Sarkar, headmistress of Serampore Girls' High School.