The 7th edition of The Indian Breast Cancer Survivors conference organised by Gokarma Oncology Association headed by Dr Shekhar Salkar in association with Muskan NGO, Goa Cancer Society and Manipal Hospitals concluded in Goa on September 8, 2018, at International Centre, Dona Paula, Goa.

The second day of the 7th Indian Breast Cancer Survivors Conference started with a rejuvenating and beneficial yoga therapy session by Ashwini Raga that was structured around the health needs of the Breast Cancer Survivor. The first session was ‘Recognising signs and symptoms of Lymphoedema and its Management’ conducted by Ashwini TR from Pune. Beginning from explaining what lymphedema is she went into details about what to expect, how to manage, best exercises, control tips, massages, etc.

This was followed by a session called “Troubles on the table” by Sameera Singh. Divided into groups, each group anonymously wrote out their top three troubles on a piece of paper and put them on the table. The papers were then exchanged and everyone was looking at someone else’s troubles. More or less unanimously everyone decided that their own troubles were the ones they could live with.

Rebecca D’souza then conducted a session on issues related to body image, sexuality and intimacy. It was a deeply revealing, straight up, no nonsense session that addressed many issues such as man-woman relationships, how one should love oneself and one’s body, why intimacy is needed, why women should look after themselves and satisfy their needs, etc.

Finally after group photographs, many many selfies against the event backdrop and exchange of telephone numbers and information, the survivors reluctantly left, promising to stay in touch and to meet next year in Pune at the 8th Indian Breast Cancer Survivors Conference.

The purpose of this Survivor’s Conference was to help women get back to a new normal after breast cancer treatment and act as ambassadors to spread the importance of breast cancer prevention and treatment in their communities.

The Conference was a joint effort by The Nag Foundation and Women’s Cancer Initiative and had been previously held in the cities of Pune, Mumbai and Nashik. Survivors who attended the conference previously had come not only from Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, but also from Goa, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Delhi and Bangalore.

This year for the first time it was brought to Goa by Dr Shekhar Salkar, President Gokarma Oncology Association, Anil Salgaocar Foundation, Muskan Group, Goa Cancer Society and Manipal Hospital Goa. A total of 145 ladies participated in the event who had successfully conquered the dreaded Big C.