25 Aug A small step for a better future
CAPED’s interventions towards early detection and prevention of Cervical Cancer helped Padma* get back her healthy life
52 year old Padma, a resident of Rajokri village in Delhi, lived an active life caring for her husband and five grown up children. Despite being uneducated, she had created a small business for herself, raising buffalos and supplying fresh milk to households in the village.
In November 2017, Padma came to know about a screening camp for Cervical Cancer that was being organised in her village by CAPED. Community mobilisers from CAPED team went door-to-door to create awareness among villagers about the camp, and motivate them to get themselves tested. Like most others in her village, Padma was initially skeptical about getting screened. However, when the community mobiliser explained the symptoms of Cervical Cancer, Padma could immediately connect them to the discomfort she had been facing since 2-3 years. She shared with the mobiliser that she had been experiencing pain while urinating and white discharge since quite a while. She was made aware by the community mobiliser that these could be the symptoms of Cervical Cancer, and encouraged her to visit the screening camp the following day and get herself tested.
The next day, Padma’s PAP test came back positive – she was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. The doctors suggested a Colposcopy for her, to get a closer look at the cancerous cells in her Cervix. Following that, a Biopsy was done. She underwent treatment for six months at AIIMS. Her entire treatment was carried out through medicines alone. Therefore, the treatment did not interfere with her everyday life. Having very little support from her husband, she soldiered through the treatment process with support from her daughter and CAPED community mobilisers.
In April 2018, Padma got herself tested once again at a screening camp organised by CAPED. To her relief, she tested negative. She had been cured of Cervical Cancer.
Having faced the scare of a life-taking disease and ultimately conquering it, Padma has now taken upon herself to spread awareness about Cervical Cancer among her family, friends and the community she lives in. She has made many others aware about the disease and encouraged them to attend screening camps organised by CAPED. She even invited her sisters, who live in other parts of Delhi, to visit the screening camp at Rajokri and get themselves tested.
Padma has emerged as a strong motivation for many others, who now follow in her footsteps spreading awareness about Cervical Cancer in their community.
*Name changed to protect privacy.