KARACHI:Pakistan People’s Party leader and former Sindh MPA Sharmila Farooqui has said that one out of nine women is at risk of developing breast cancer in Pakistan, which is an unfortunate.

“Young girls, even teenagers are being diagnosed with breast cancer. It is important to educate everyone, especially young adults on health awareness, on breast cancer that is spreading so fast,” she said while addressing Youth Awareness Programme jointly organized by the HEC Regional Centre Karachi and Pink Ribbon.

She said Pink Ribbon and HEC have been working for mora than a decade and since 2012 and today, they are here to celebrate two million students (ambassadors) who have been reached out, sensitized and educated on early detection of breast cancer, healthy lifestyle, techniques of catching early signs.

Sharmila said: “I would like to encourage institutions to participate in Pinktober Drive 2023, especially to those institutions, who could not participate in Pink Ribbon Youth Programme last year.”

Sharmila said that HEC would also like to congratulate Pink Ribbon for all of their continuous efforts to decrease the mortality rate of breast cancer and also for the Pink Ribbon Hospital, which is going to be Pakistan’s first dedicated Breast Cancer Hospital.

Sharmila said: “HEC will continue to support Pink Ribbon with a positive message of making our youth self-aware and conscious about their health. So again, congratulations to each one of you. You all are the future of Pakistan and we wish you all the best.”