Better safe than sorry

'Pink on Wheels' is the first cancer mammography bus in Pakistan which has been launched by Pink Ribbon Organisation in collaboration with INMOL. The idea is to sensitize women against breast cancer and to give them the power to find it and kill it before it can hurt them.

You! takes a look...

By J. S

No one ever thinks it could happen to them... when it comes to a deadly disease or some personal catastrophe none of us think it could ever happen to us. Out of Asia, Pakistan shows the highest numbers for breast cancer each year with over 83,000 new cases coming up each year. This is one disease that can hit anyone regardless of their requisites. Not many women think about breast cancer as something that might end up affecting them. Even though one of every nine women in Pakistan will be suffering from the disease, most women don't even know the basics to keeping themselves safe.

The statistics on breast cancer are growing each year. It accounts for over 38.5% of all cancer cases in females; think about it, the figures are so large, breast cancer is one of the most prominent cancers that is currently plaguing women. Almost half of all breast cancers are also locally advanced and add up to 40,000 deaths each year. The problem is that although research has been done on breast cancer and people are now growing more aware, the Pakistani masses are still clueless because that information is not available to them. For most people it is simply a disease that will either leave them scarred for life - both physically and mentally - or it will kill them. The good news is that even though it is a very dangerous disease, it is treatable and it will probably not kill you. It is important to keep an eye out for the disease so that you can detect it early.

Breast cancer is one of the most easily treated cancers in the world. It has multiple treatment options and while going through the process can leave a patient drained, the likelihood is that they will survive and can get their life back. If caught early, the chances of a person's survival are as high as 90 per cent. The key to battling with breast cancer is awareness. One cannot emphasise going to the doctor for regular checkups enough, but other than that there are avenues which can provide ample information to those who are confused. The Pink Ribbon Campaign is one organisation that is making great efforts to make breast cancer known to all women.

The organisation has a lot on its plate. It doesn't just have to deal with what people don't know. It also has to rectify the wrong that they've been told. Their work is definitely cut out for them as our society doesn't just face one problem; it comes out with a whole host of issues that need to be dealt with. Let's face the truth, the literacy rate in our country is extremely low, the literacy rate for women is even lower. In such a scenario you cannot expect them to be able to understand or even seek information about a disease such as breast cancer. Then comes the problem of taboo - one's mother-in-law or sister-in-law must have vexed the disease onto the women. It makes no medical sense and often women will waste their time trying to bring God's will into play rather than seeking actual proper medical attention. Some women will simply refuse to talk about it or deal with the problem as they think they are going to lose a very important part of themselves - while this is true, the fact is the earlier you treat breast cancer, the higher the chances are that you won't need to have your breasts removed.

 The myths and misconceptions surrounding the disease also don't make it easy to deal with. Many women believe that this is a disease for old women when in reality it can hit women at any age. Contrary to popular belief you do not need a family history to get the disease, breast feeding does not increase your risk of developing it and you cannot contract the disease from someone else like the flu. All of these are simply myths in our society which have no bearing on the disease whatsoever. Then there's also the problem that even if one finds out that they have the disease there is a dire lack of medical facilities and proper infrastructure that can serve as a catalyst to their recovery. Within large cities the situation is better but in villages and poor areas the idea that you will find a hospital well equipped enough - both with doctors and machinery - to deal with the situation is highly unlikely. Most women will not be able to afford trips that require long travelling just to get to their doctor so he can tell them tests that they cannot afford to take.

Building awareness

The Pink Ribbon Campaign is working against all these disadvantages to help women while they kill the problems one by one. And they're not asking women to come to them to learn, they're taking the fight to the cancer itself. Their recently launched 'Pink on Wheels' is a unique effort which is helping them spread awareness literally one person as a time. It is the first cancer mammography bus in Pakistan and has been launched by the organisation in collaboration with INMOL. The bus has top-notch state of the art mammography equipment that was provided by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. At present the bus will only be mobilised into areas of Punjab due to shortages of funds.

The Lahore experience:

The mobile service was started off in Lahore during earlier this year in March. It's main focus were the women of Lahore and the suburb areas surrounding it. The bus tour kicked off at the Lahore College for Women and was such a success that it was turned into a three day camp. Girls were given breast exams i.e. the mammography. For those who don't know, a mammography is basically a physical exam that a doctor performs to check for any irregularities in one's breasts. The idea behind the bus was to sensitize women against the disease and to give them the power to find it and kill it before it can hurt them. This was the first round for  Pink on Wheels and it ended up going through over 7,000 female students and 400 teachers. They were told the importance of self examination and clinical checkups.

Most women think a self exam is enough when the fact is a doctor notices things that most of us don't. So, while it's a good idea to give yourself a breast exam, don't skip the doctor because there's always a chance you might have missed something. The Pink on Wheels bus was more successful because it didn't just get to target the students of the various institutions it went to but also the mothers and sisters that tagged along for the information sessions. Over 190 women were clinically tested while 46 mammograms were given. 11 out of the 46 mammograms were positive for problems with breast cancer. This number alone should tell people how this disease works. Most women won't even know they have it because the lump does not hurt and it stays asymptomatic for most part of its course. It kills a person by rotting them from the inside and they don't even notice. The patients that were tested by the campaign are all in their early stages and will be able to deal with the disease because at that point it is still curable.

The next step:

At present the organisation is working on another Pink on Wheels. This time it will start off in Bahawalpur in collaboration with the Bahawalpur Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology. The bus will once again try and sensitize women on the various aspects of breast cancer and encourage them to learn to deal with the problem before it gets out of hand. Events and activities like these serve a very important role as they get to places and people that normally do not have access to any facility. A woman informed could perhaps translate into a life saved.

Breast cancer doesn't just affect women physically; it takes a very strong emotional toll on them because they are going through immense changes. Most women who suffer from it feel as though their life has come to a standstill and that they will never be the same. And those are the women that need to remember that their life has gone no where and that there is always hope. They don't have to give up on their family or their life just because of this disease and they can fight it. We need more awareness campaigns like Pink Ribbon to ensure that people know that although the disease can affect women's life immensely, only they can give it the power to destroy it.

Early detection can save one's life; of the 90,000 cases reported each year, 40,000 women die. So, all those women who think this could never happen to you, please go in for a check up and make sure that it doesn't. 

How to perform a breast exam

Stand in front of the mirror and keep your back straight. Examine your breasts closely. If your breasts have their usual shape, size, contour and colour, that means they are perfectly healthy. If you notice something different than normal, apply these steps:

Step 1

With your arms from the sides of your body, flex them to bring your hands on your hips. Search for any unusual changes, such as dimples or bumps around the skin, redness, rashes, swelling, and whether any of your nipples appear pushed inward instead of normally pointing out.

Step 2

Elevate both your arms overhead. Clasp your hands together and bring them a little bit backward to push your chest outward. Examine surfaces of your breasts from the front. Look on the sides and near the armpits. Check for the same odd changes on the size and shape. Look for any changes in the colour and texture of the surrounding skin.

Step 3

Unclasp your hands. Keep your left arm elevated. Bring your right arm down. Gently squeeze your left nipple to check for any discharge. Bring your left arm down. Do the same procedure on your right side.

Step 4

Lie on your back on a firm bed and place a pillow under your left shoulder. Flex your left arm and position your left hand behind your head. Using the pads of the index, middle and ring finger of your right hand, begin your palpation with a soft touch. Do a gentle circular press, starting from the area near your nipple moving out. Feel until you reach the whole contour of your left breast. Keep the pads of your fingers flat and gradually increase your pressure - to feel your inner tissue and ribcage. Repeat the same on your right side.

Step 5

Feel the surfaces of your breast while taking a shower. Fold your left arm and place your left hand behind your head. Using the middle 3 fingers of your right hand, start examining your left breast. Then do the same procedure on your right breast.

Step 6

Stand up face the wall, elevate your left arm and rest it on the wall. Be careful not to stretch your arm too much, making it difficult for you to feel the surface. Now using the three middle fingers of your right hand (index, middle and ring finger), examine the surfaces of your left armpit. Palpate for any lumps, bumps, thickening and areas with pain. Perform the same procedure on your right armpit.

Get gorgeous!

Do you want to look gorgeous? The first thing that comes to your mind is make up and cosmetics. You! takes a look...

 By Durdana Ali Malik

Make up is an art and applying it is not an easy job. Make up done perfectly can enhance your appeal and give you an added glow. Make up should be an extension of what makes you and not something that makes you look like someone else. Even the world's most expensive make up products would not particularly look great if it is applied carelessly.

There are women who might not be endowed with perfect features and looks but since they know the art of make up and carrying themselves elegantly, they become the centre of attraction. And with the huge variety of cosmetic products available, it is natural to think that looking good with make up should be easy. However, with so much choice it is also very easy to make a mess with our make up.

The word 'cosmetics' comes from the Greek word 'kosmos' which basically means arrangement or order. The concept of beauty is bound up with that order and symmetry. And that's exactly what we want to achieve with our make up - we want to bring order, symmetry and beauty to our appearance.

Women go crazy when a new brand is launched in the market and with the wide variety that they offer it becomes almost impossible to resist buying make up products. Some women believe in the power of helping nature along!

To begin with, the source of a major ingredient bothers some women: Some are not too happy applying lipstick which might contain grease from an unidentified source! Also the chemicals used in most cosmetics often cause allergies and skin disorders in the long run. Even though most big stores have special make up sales counters now, none of the products carry any 'use by' date. Often people land up with mascara that is almost dry, or a hand lotion that smells 'stale'.

Recently, Oriflame Swedish cosmetics have launched its new range of cosmetics and beauty products for both women and men. After every three months they introduce a new range via catalogue that showcases beauty products made with natural products and imported to Pakistan from Sweden.

The company has two research and development centres in Stockholm, where at least five years are dedicated to develop new products which are sourced from entirely natural raw materials like flowers, minerals, flower extracts and fruits to ensure they are safe, mild and human friendly. They are also not tested on animals, and even the packaging is environment friendly with no PVC used in it. So far so good!

The face is obviously the main area of attention and they have everything starting from foundation/base to eye make up. There are several options for lip glosses and lipsticks, with exclusive concealers and brushes. The nail care range is up to date with excellent French manicure glosses, a nail polish corrector pen and a nail tip guide for perfect applications every time.

A special foot care range has also been launched which includes scrubs, creams and sprays. A heel relief cream and a foot rescue mask are innovative products that are specially formulated for stubborn dryness. They have also introduced a complete men's range with shaving foams, deodorants, colognes and eau de toilettes.

Letters

Dear Professor,

I am a 15-year-old girl facing a serious problem which is disturbing me and also affecting my studies. Financially, we don't have many problems but being closest to the brother older than me, I know many of his secrets. Professor, he always used to tell me all his secrets but recently I noticed a strange change in my brother. After doing some investigation I came to know his secret: he is in love with a girl who is 26 days older than him. She used to go to her examination centre with him on the same bus. He started talking with her because one of his friends challenged him to do so. My brother called the girl and I don't know how she became his friend and after a few calls my brother realised that he was in love with her. To tell you the truth, my brother calls many girls and talks to them, and they immediately fall in love with him but he just stops calling them after some time although they cry and beg him not to. In a way, it is a mean thing to do. Professor, I don't know how he got the girl's pictures. The girl used to live nearby and about a year ago shifted to another city. Someone called her and told her that my brother had recorded her voice in his cell. In the meantime, my mother took his cell and powered it off. The girl could not confirm this news as his cell was not responding. So the girl called my father and told him everything, but it was not true and my brother got extremely hurt. My brother never told anyone about her. All this happened more than a year ago so I thought that he had forgotten her until I saw her name engraved on his arm. I came to know that the girl has become engaged to her cousin. I stupidly told all this to my brother and he became very angry. He is going to her city and I don't know what's on his mind. I don't want the girl's life to be ruined by any immature act of my 18-year-old brother. I cannot tell my parents about all this because my brother will lose his trust in me. Plus, the girl is from a different family and my parents will never accept her as their daughter-in-law. My brother doesn't realise this and is paying no attention towards his studies. He spends his nights praying to Allah for her. I am very worried about him and don't know what to do. I love my brother but I also don't want to ruin the girl's life. He has told his net friend all about that girl. Please professor I want some advice so that I can save the girl's life and help my brother out of this.

Worried Sissy

Dear Worried Sissy,

The first thing you need to understand is that snooping around and interfering in matters that don't concern you are not things that decent people do. Your meddling in your brother's affairs has created the problem that girl could be in. As far as your brother is concerned, he has betrayed a number of girls and hurt them by breaking their hearts. He should be able to take the taste of his own medicine, and it will do him good. It was extremely petty on your brother's part to divulge whatever he did to his net friend. People in love don't do that. Only small minded cheap people do it. I don't see what you can do to help after having created this mischief. I think that the girl is more sensible than your brother, because she spoke to your father when she thought your brother had accumulated material to blackmail her. I just hope that if that net friend of your brother, who is also probably cheap - as the birds of a feather flock together, tries to blackmail that girl, she tells all to her parents, who would deal with that guy. If you really want to help, stop snooping around. It will work for you in your future life also. Best of luck!

Professor Nadine,

I am a 27-year-old guy, working in a private organisation. I am in love with my cousin who is 21 years old and I want to marry her. We meet occasionally at family gatherings, because my family is settled in another city. Since 2003, I have been in love, but have never expressed my feelings, I am afraid that if I told her so our relationship as cousins may suffer. I told my mother through my friend that I'm interested in her but she raised the status issue, but I don't care for that. In 2006 I expressed my feelings to her via net chat. She asked me to send my proposal, but I told her that I was sure my proposal would be rejected by her parents, especially by her mother. Afterwards, I emailed some poetry to her because I knew that she liked poetry. She told her elder brother who lives abroad and is a year younger than me. He called me and I was surprised to hear that I was bothering her. I did not contact her again. I thought a lot regarding this relationship's future and came to the conclusion that my proposal would never be accepted. She would not adjust with me due to the difference between our circumstances. I have been trying to forget her but cannot get her off my mind. Please advise me.

Muddasir

Dear Muddasir,

It is a fact that status counts a lot when it comes to marriage, but when it is someone from the family people tend to ignore the differences as the plus point is that they know everything about family members. So, if you are well qualified and able to support the girl you stand with a chance even if the girl's family is richer than yours. Perhaps that is why your cousin asked you to send your proposal. In case your mother is afraid of being rebuffed, she can always ask some intermediary to sound out the girl's parents. However, in case you are not doing well in terms of employment the only sane advice I can offer you is to forget her. Good luck!

Problems that need a solution? You can e mail Prof. Nadine Khan at nadinekhan_34@yahoo.com

Note: If you feel you need someone to talk to when you are alone, to share a problem with,

or just to get something that has upset or disturbed you off your chest, share it with us. 

Write to Prof. Nadine Khan, c/o Editor 'You!' magazine, The News, Al-Rehman Building (4th Floor)  I.I Chundrigar Road, Karachi.

rendezvous

The kaleidoscope of colours

Zainab Sajid's debut show was an interesting amalgam of cuts and colours. You! takes a look...

 By F. Z

Recently, Karachiites witnessed another debut show by a young designer - Zainab Sajid. Since the show was not sponsored, it was expected to see a lot of creativity and originality and the show was not at all disappointing. It was a well choreographed show with a great stage and desirable clothes. 

There was no particular theme of the show. Zainab's collection, which she prepared especially for the show, consisted of formal and semi-formal outfits in mostly bright colours. The collection was essentially eastern with pret, couture and bridal wear.  The long silhouettes captured the quintessence of feminism and natural beauty of a woman, with style. Her pret collection had a vibrant colour palette. Ethereal and flowy chiffon, net and silk were paired up with light yet trendy embellishments and embroidery and pretty-edged dupattas. One could notice circular motifs and paisleys in her entire collection. She was given a very rich and regal look to her couture line with special emphasis on cuts and embellishments. In her bridal wear she played with lots of colours. And the best part about the show was that most of the attires were wearable.

However, her collection could not be termed as exceptional or experimental as she chose to play safe with styles and colours. Though the clothes were stylish, there was nothing new in her collection. Every one is wearing long tunics and pleated fabrics these days and she did not offer anything new in terms of cuts or style. She restrained herself to basic cuts and embellishments or embroideries. I think in these times of recession designers are afraid to take bold steps. After all they need to sell their clothes too and with traditional clothes and bridals one is sure of capturing the retail market. 

Choreographed by Fareiha Altaf of Catwalk productions, it was natural to see all the top models in attendance. Iraj, Nadia Hussain, Sunita Marshall, Fauzia and Maha all were there to flaunt colourful ensembles with aplomb. Nadia as always looked stunning. However, Iraj stole the show with her winning smile and gracious walk. Hair and makeup by Huma gelled well with the over all look.

Zainab, who has been designing clothes for the past five years, was very proud of the fact that she did the whole show on her own. "I actually didn't want to share my stage with anybody since it was my first show I wanted my label to be very prominent that was the only reason of not having any sponsor," she shared.  

Talking about latest trends in shalwar kameez she said, "Straight shirts have taken a back seat. These days kaftans and ponchos are quite in vogue. Today it's all about volume added styling and good flowy cuts."

Zainab has a studio and the factory at the same place. She does clothes by appointment but recently she has stalked her collection at PFDC Boulevard 10-Q, Lahore and Boulevard at Park Towers Karachi. According to her there is a lot of room for upcoming designers in the industry. She pays high regards to our senior designers and she particularly loves Umar Sayeed's intricate work. She plans to build her label nationally and internationally.

In a state of depression when one sees young and talented designers like Zainab, one gets this satisfaction that there is something to look forward to and all is not that bad!

Photos courtesy: Catalyst

recipe

Chimichurri

Ingredients:

- Beef (cut into cubes)    1/2 kg

- Onions

   (finely chopped)                3 tablespoons

- Paprika powder                2 tablespoons

- White vinegar                2 tablespoons

- Garlic cloves (crushed)                2

- Oil         3 - 4 tablespoons

- Pepper to taste

- Salt       to taste  

- Capsicums                as desired

- Mushrooms                as desired

METHOD:

- Mix all the spices together except the cubes of beef.

- Now add in the cubes of beef in the mixture and allow it to marinate for a few hours.

- After that place the beef on a hot grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

- When tender take skewers and thread the beef cubes, capsicums and mushrooms and grill for 5 more minutes.

- You can enjoy it with BBQ sauce or garlic butter.

interiors

C for cushions

You! takes a look at how to choose fashionable and elegant cushions and give your living room that extra oomph...

 By Anum Opel

If you are planning to refurbish your living room make sure that it should be modern as well as comfortable as this is virtually where the household inhabits. Then comes the essential part of it, which is your seating arrangement. The living room furniture should be cosy yet stylish.

Every diminutive object one keeps in his/her residence is noticed by the onlookers; be it bench covers to mats, the most negligible of adornment pieces, vases, ashtrays or frames, photographs, cutlery, et al. Hence, the sort of cushion covers, the form, silhouette, dimension, shade and not to mention the substance used to make it appealing is also just as important as the breed of tableware or furnishings one uses in their homes. It isn't reasonable to say that cushion covers bring life to one's dining room, living room or the likes, but appropriate cushions going with the decor of the house to the paint on the walls do make a huge difference in the overall look of the scope. Just like you can't be seen trotting around in a chic dress with hair drenched in oil and bathroom slippers, wretched cushion covers could ruin the entire outlook of your room.

You! takes a look at how to make cushions fashionable and elegant - after all, the markets have enough for one to pick and choose from - from funky colours to noteworthy patterns, tasteful and refined styles.

First things first - the fabric used is very important as far as cushion decoration is concerned. You don't want to end up purchasing something that would tear or get stained within a short period of time. The rule of thumb is to purchase cotton or polyester - the matter is long lasting and durable and would save you from the dilemma of rushing to the marketplace to buy cloth yet again. For sophisticated look, most people dig velvet and suede and usually avoid silk as it gets grimy and smudged sooner than expected. Suede cushion covers are made from supple leather whereas another universally used fabric taffeta is the smoothest fabric accessible for cushion designing - pricey, yes indeed, but worth the money as taffeta makes cushions look very urbane and modern. Needlework of the taffeta fabric could make your room look polished and neat.

And it isn't rocket science to make cushions at home if that is what you're wondering - all you need is the right kind of fabric, a fabric pad, a zip and a needle. The procedure couldn't get simpler - cut two squares of fabric pad and pin them together. However, make sure that the right sides are facing each other. Leaving enough room for the zip, all you have to do is sew them together, pin the zip and stitch it to the cloth and once done, open the zip and insert the cushion pad.

For the styles of the cushions, jacquard is a must have in every home, the reason being that the smart designs are woven in the fabric. This saves one the trouble of adding lining, embroidery or fur to the cushion cover. All you have to do is purchase the material and get it stitched the size you want - be careful with dimensions as too much jacquard is overwhelming.

Keeping style in mind, another option is twill - material with diagonal lines on it, often used for decorating the living room. These lines could also be parallel to one another and such styles are mostly seen in homes with the black and white combination. Another option is the geometric design and that too, is backed with the fact of being trendy. Not only are women seen flaunting around in geometric printed lawn these days, many households have adopted the mode on the cushions - it is advised to acquire the dobby material and nothing else as far as covers go so as to add a formal touch to your room.

If you are looking for something elegant, go for plain black and white or dyed covers, but if you want something flashy, it is advised to stick to the usual embroidered cushions.

Embroidered cushion covers are mostly homemade, on cotton or silk. These days the embroidery focuses more on beadwork than plain thread designs. For the younglings - adjoin fur, beads and sequins to your covers to add a little extra oomph to your room.