Sensual chutzpah via artworks

India Intimate Fashion Week

Sensual Chutzpah Via Artworks

19th century, Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh had stated, “There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people".

An online art gallery that showcases the very best in contemporary art, Artspread.com is collaborating with the first ever edition of India Intimate Fashion Week ( March 18-19) . Art can be a great platform to change behaviors, to sow the seeds  that create alternative opportunities and that have visual narratives that have our faces and our needs reflected .Apart from offering great exposure to the artists it also directly addresses the cause. Taking an event directly to the community  encourages people to become aware and speak their mind without being judged.

A tete-a-tete with Puja Prasad, Marketing Head, Artspread.com is an eye-opener on how art can make a huge impact on IIFW

Artists are   particularly sensitive to feelings of love, pain, anguish and suffering and they often use these as tools create and display their thoughts. Do you feel that, at a time when fear and terror loom large over the world, festivals and intimate art  keep love & hope alive?

 :Yes absolutely because humans crave for love and empathy and happiness ( even when hope recedes or when bigotry begins to assert ) . Art takes us back to those happy times , fun of creative energy , imagination and expression , of skills and ability to add colour to life !

What is Artspread's objective behind its association with IIFW?

ArtSpread.com celebrates life and living - by promoting talent from across India. Our association with IIFW is to celebrate feminity and the sacred intimacy amongst humans. Our participating artists , through their unique and distinct stamp of creative form, will add to the mood during the festival !

Love, sensuality and procreation is the reason for our existence--what have been the parameters for choosing the artworks?

We have tried to bring diversity of expression , including both the experimental styles in modern art and the more celebrated sensuous grace of traditional Indian art. A mix of bold strokes and some painstakingly gentle brushwork can be seen in this art selection. 

Tell us about the artists & their work

We partner with only the most gifted, the most creative and the most technically sound Indian artists. Our search for such works is supported by expert curators with impressive qualifications and experience in the visual arts space. Our objective is to showcase quality Indian Art, discover hidden talent and provide upcoming Indian artists with a global platform.

Will Artspread be a medium via which the taboo about intimate wear will be dispelled?

ArtSpread will certainly ignite passion and desire. And those are good enough reasons for women to step out and experiment and express their latent desires !

Some of the stunning sculptures of Khajuraho portray women who are voluptuous engaged in various acts of beautifying themselves or engaged in intimacy are symbols of fertility and even considered auspicious---would you say Artspread will encourage women to be more open about their bodies, sexuality?

Today's Indian women are independent and free-thinking,besides being more financially secure than ever before.Artspread. promotes rare talent and beauty; this should resonate very widely and encourage bolder moves !!

Similarly, the frescoes in Ajanta Caves also depict images of beautiful women and men in the throes of passion, heaving bosoms et al. This shows how tolerant Indian society was....do you think the same liberal attitude exists even today?

By speaking more openly and by celebrating a holy union and encouraging experimentation , we will do our bit to move  the conversation to the beautiful and not the crass flesh show that has become more prevalent the world over. 

 Scientific research reveals that a human child may not be able to survive beyond a few weeks of birth if deprived of intimacy or touch of another human body, Even if our essential survival needs are met, an unhealthy social life devoid of feelings of love, intimacy can lead to many disorders  in the emotional well-being of an individual. Intimacy and love are basic human instincts and  come with their fair share of loss, heartbreak, and betrayal. Will Artspread seek to address this at IIFW?

IIFW has made a bold move to celebrate the sensual and beautiful .ArtSpread.com will support this effort by bringing that chutzpah through the artworks on display. 

A Ray Of Hope for Eman

Will Dr.Lakdawala pull it off?

If there’s one thing we all have enough of it is regret.We will reflect and think---What if  I had done that? What if I had said that?Or, wish I had tried that? A decade down the line most of will be disappointed by the things we didn’t do.We can always recover and learn from mistakes, but if we don’t do anything it logically means that there is nothing to improve or salvage.

Dr.Muffazal Lakdawala , eminent bariatric surgeon, certainly does not believe in that. He is about to lay his reputation on the line in what will be an unforgettable, unique  experience made possible  with technology, medicine,bureaucracy and administration.

In what seemed like a mission impossible, a host of government bodies, officials of India and Egypt, the Ministry of External Affairs, set the ball rolling. Eman Ahmed, who  weighs close to 500 kg and is the world’s heaviest woman arrived in Mumbai late last week. Over the last five months, Dr. Lakdawala, and the management of Mumbai's Saifee Hospital have worked tirelessly to enable Eman's journey to recovery. Dr. Lakdawala had taken on this challenging case pro-bono late last year, in response to an appeal for help from Eman's sister, Shaimaa.

Housed in a specially created 1,000 sq.ft room at Saifee Hospital, Eman has been under the observation of a team of doctors who have been conducting extensive tests as step one in the process of her treatment. Given Eman’s unique requirements, special arrangements have been made for her at Saifee known for its proven prominence in the field of bariatric surgery and for operating on some of the most prominent cases from India and Asia. 

The room has been furnished with a Citadel Plus Bariatric Care system, a chain pulley, a lifting swing, Drager Fabius GS, an anaesthesia machine, central monitoring system, an infusion pump, a Philips Intellivue MP40, an Injectomat Syringe Pump, a Philips C arm BV Pulsera, a Patent Warmer, Suction Machine, Philips page writer TC20, A Lourano Chair and other necessary equipment.

The team of doctors detailed Eman’s current prognosis and the next steps in her case. The doctors have also conducted a special gene study on the patient, for the 91 different types of genes isolated with obesity related syndrome.

Dr Lakdawala says, “Weight is just one of Eman’s problems. She has been confined to her bed for more than 2 decades, unable to move due to her weight. She also suffers from several medical complications due to her weight and continued immobility over the years making her case very complex and high risk. Bringing a semblance of normalcy to Eman’s life may take a few years. The entire panel of doctors is committed to giving her the best care and helping her to get back on her feet and recover from her current ailments.My priority is to save Eman and give her quality of life. If I can ensure with whatever means - by Bariatric surgery or otherwise to enable her to sit up and do things on her own in this first stage; for me that shall be victory."

Rebutting claims made by Egyptian doctors that he had brought Eman to India for publicity, Dr Lakdawala  said,” That is far-fetched. When her sister Shaimaa approached me a few months ago,I couldn’t turn down her request. I have operated on several famous  celebrities and politicians over the years and am not doing it for fame”.

On the threshold of making medical history, Dr. Lakdawala candidly accepts that he is nervous .”Eman has not seen the sun in 25 years, has suffered partial paralysis and is diabetic in addition to having other problems. If  I can put her on her feet it will be great”.

“We first want to make her lose weight and then we will decide on surgery.She is a very strong woman and always has a smile”.

Dr. Lakdawala has since received many requests from people  in Switzerland, Russia, Saudi and the UAE  who have undergone bariatric surgery to redo their procedures.

Eman’s sister, Shaimaa Ahmed, who has been her strongest supporter has also accompanied her to India. Moved by the efforts made for her sister, she expressed her deep gratitude to Dr. Lakdawala, his team, Saifee Hospital and all the others she said “On behalf of my sister Eman, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Muffazal and Saifee Hospital for their help and effort in Eman’s journey so far. Now that we are finally here, we can start her treatment. Please pray for Eman to recover.”

While Dr. Lakdawala and Saifee Hosptial have taken on this case pro bono, Eman’s family has been unable to afford the cost for her transportation, medication and accommodation, while in India. A fundraiser on BitGiving has been set up in order to help Eman lead the life she deserves. The money will be put in a separate account created specifically for Eman's treatment, while she's in India.

Hrithik Pledges Eyes

A Kaabil-e-Tareef  Birthday!

Helen Keller once remarked, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”. Imagine not being able to see the blue sky ,shining stars,a velvety blade of grass under your feet,the people you love and a zillion other things that we take for granted because we are blessed with vision.

One leading ophthalmologist, Padma Shri Dr. S. Natarajan  is a “titanic” name in the field.Apart from excellence in his field, Dr. S Natarajan is a humanitarian and

has been consistently dedicated to serving the needy –specially those with  eye problems—by holding awareness and free check-up camps all over Mumbai and in other parts of the country. A dynamic personality, you can catch him shaking a leg at a disco when he is not jet-setting to different parts of the world to conduct path-breaking surgeries. Quite naturally he has quite a few high-flying patients too—one of them being Hrithik Roshan’s grand-father whom he has been treating for years.

 After watching the trailer of Kaabil and Hrithik’s powerful performance  as a blind man, the good doctor contacted Rakesh Roshan asking if Hrithik would like to pledge his eyes for donation. He was pleasantly surprised when Rakesh  said “Yes”.He was moved by the interactions with the blind while preparing for Kaabil and  Hrithik  pledged to donate his eyes on his birthday ( January 10) but requested the doctor to keep it under wraps lest anyone misconstrued  the act as a publicity stunt for the film. So, with minimum fuss and no paparazzi, Hrithik  pledged to donate  his eyes . Certainly, a Kaabil-e-Tareef  gesture!

By 2020, 10.6 million Indians will suffer from unilateral corneal blindness. To treat them 2 lakh corneas will be required every year, yet only 45,000 are retrieved annually. Of the 45 million blind in the world, 15 million are in India. Dr. Natarajan says,” this is avoidable but are inadequately treated or untreated due to superstitions and lack of awareness,If actors like Hrithik, who have a huge fan base come forward to pledge their eyes, it will inspire others”

Chairman& MD of the Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital and the founder & managing trustee of the Aditya Jyoy Foundation for Twinkling Eyes ( a non-profit body), Dr. Natarajan has, of late , made several trips to Srinagar where he has been treating hundreds who needed urgent surgery for removal of pellets. He has requested the J& K  government and the Centre for better facilities and equipment and has offered his services honorarily to the  Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital(SMHS)Srinagar.

Anagha Dandekar

Anagha Dandekar: Hardware Renaissance & Splendid Simplicity

Anagha Dandekar (scion of the Camlin group), is the founder and creative director of  Hardware Renaissance, an international luxury door fittings brand that has been redefining the way people perceive door accessories globally since 2002, and it has launched in India recently.

Hardware Renaissance was co-founded in 2002 in Santa Fe, New Mexico as Anagha wanted to create a more hand-crafted line infused with unique designs.The original line of hand-forged iron is completely handmade by master blacksmiths and there is no other hardware manufacturer offering the depth of designs, functions and patinas , precision engineering providing seamless integration with all modern lock systems.

Crafting masterpieces for customers (including a list of celebrity clientele: Robert Redford, Dixie Chicks, Vidya Balan, Kunal Kapur etc), Hardware Renaissance’s pieces are reminiscent of  beautiful hand-forged iron and sand cast solid bronze hardware for commercial and residential projects worldwide. Her designs are now available in over 80 showrooms in the US, Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and India. 

An interesting tete-a-tete with  Anagha:

Your journey from the world of stationery to luxury door fittings. What got you interested in this area?

I always knew that I would be in business, because growing up in the Camlin family with both parents heading the company, we lived and breathed business.  I didn’t know I would be in door hardware, though.  I had come to the USA to get an MBA and was planning to go back and work in Camlin.  But I decided to stay on here instead.  Getting started in luxury door hardware was through a chance meeting with someone who I co-founded the company with, as the idea of creating something new intrigued me.  So you never know when life will present you with a new opportunity or direction!

Tell us about your most challenging projects…..

Since we make so much custom or bespoke hardware, we have done many challenging projects.  I am proud of my technical and production team for their inventiveness and dedication to making difficult products to please our most demanding customers.  We did an estate last year in the southern US with over 70 doors, and each piece was customized, and also had the owner’s logo on the hardware.  We are doing a large villa in Hyderabad by customizing our unique Art Nouveau series for a special type of door and lock.  We did a Silicon Valley billionaire’s home of over 100 doors with customized handles that did not even have backplates – so it needed all new engineering!  I am sure the next challenging project is just around the corner, and me and my team thrive on it.  We are not creating mass produced hardware, and it is extremely gratifying to give a customer exactly what they want, something totally unique for them. There are very few hardware companies in the world that can do that.

What has the response in India been and what is the perception  with regard to luxury hardware?

The response in India has been very positive, and I am pleased with the inroads we have made so far, but we have a long way to go.  We have done work with many of India’s top architects and designers in a few cities. The challenge is to widen the distribution in a market which is not as organized in high- end hardware compared to the USA. The Indian customer is not as aware of what luxury hardware really means, and why it is worth the expense.  This is because most of the hardware available in India so far is imported from China and is mass produced and of a lesser quality.

However, the Indian customer is getting more aware and sophisticated in their choices and their expectations as they get greater exposure to products from all over the world.  In the few years that we have entered the Indian market, we can see this evolution.  They are willing to spend more money if they are convinced about the uniqueness and value of the product.  Also an appreciation for hand -crafted and bespoke products is returning, which is a push- back against mass production.  That is where we fit in beautifully.

Tell us something about your current projects in the hospitality sector

We are working on some exciting projects in the hospitality sector all over the world.  A high- end boutique hotel in Israel is currently in its final stages.  We have some exclusive India projects in the design phase, as well as hotels in the US.

Do you design the hardware yourself?

Yes, most of the designs are my creations – some of the older ones were by the co-founder (who passed away unfortunately). The process of design and creation is what inspires and rejuvenates me, and I find inspiration in nature, art and architecture.

In a male dominated industry, being the only woman-owned manufacturer must be a huge challenge? How do you handle that?

It certainly is a challenge, but I was brought up to believe I could do anything regardless of my gender.  So it does not bother me, rather I thrive on destroying stereotypes in people’s minds.  I am particular to be as knowledgeable about the technical side of hardware as the design side, so I can handle any situation with a customer.  I can recall some interesting meetings where upon being introduced as the owner of Hardware Renaissance, men have not-so-subtly tried to probe my technical knowledge, to see if I really know my products, or whether I am just “the face” of the company!

 It also means it is a time- consuming business-- managing a business, home and family-?

Being a working woman is all about finding balance – and it is a constant challenge.   My family takes first priority, but my work is also important to me.  My husband is a big part of making it all work, and I make it a point to be well organized and plan ahead.  I’d like to be a good role model for my  daughter, and I now realize that does not mean showing that I can do everything. It means having the confidence to make the right choices which are better for me and my family.  And not doing things to get approbation from the public, but because it is important to me. 

  

Do you find  time to pursue your childhood interests  --singing & classical dance?

I am happy to say that I revived my Bharatanatyam dancing after a hiatus of almost 20 years, so that I could hopefully inspire my daughter.  It is such a joy to share the dance stage with her. I don’t get a lot of time to do it, however.  As for the singing, it is mostly restricted to the shower nowadays!

What are your other interests?

I love to travel, read, cook, listen to music - and go on long walks with my family in the beautiful nature that surrounds us where I live.

Real Time Parenting

Real Time Parenting

It’s impossible to be a parent in 2016. Living constantly under a viral microscope of social media has all but dashed any hope parents ever had.With every move documented in real-time on social media, parents seem to have lost control of their real lives. What has for years been a cute story at the dinner table about the time Ma lost you as a kid at the local mela  will today be a hotly contested topic---that too amid strangers online who feel they not only have the right to comment and judge but also to take action, in the form of harassment, badgering, or even phone calls to authorities. There is no such thing as an honest mistake for parents anymore.

Perfect parenting has never existed; but before the onslaught of social media we didn’t hear about the traumatic accidents and close calls as much. We can’t spank our children because some may term it as child abuse. We can’t give in to their tantrums because that would mean we are spoiling them; we cannot stick up for them or discipline because we would just be adding to the problem. If we hover over them and try to protect them from getting into trouble that would be “helicoptering” and if  we don’t, it would be negligence !

Don’t expect kids to think logically;they just do not respond to plans and persuasion ; they do not care about consequences. What do you do then, when your son is throwing tantrum, screaming and crying because you did not get him his favourite icecream or you forbade your daughter from going to a late night disco party? If they were an employee, you could fire them, but parents cannot.

Charulata Ravi Kumar ,columnist, leadership coach for corporate, teaches communication and leadership at premier colleges in India. Here she talks at length about the challenges of parenting in the 21 st Century.

 Dr Spock may have been the ultimate in parenting for a child’s unidimensional world of Mommy, Daddy & Me. But in today’s new universe the extended family includes Uncle Facebook, Aunt Amazon, Friends Myntra, Koovs, Twitter and Youtube and Mentors Scoopwhoop, Tinder, Snapchat and of course Best friend What’s App. We used to worry about the friends our children played with, the neighborhood we live in or even the TV programs they watch. Boy! Weren’t those the easy times! Today, we worry why they have only cyber friends, why is the neighbourhood only a small screen and why is it social media over TV.

“We parents are hard to please aren’t we? But imagine the plight of our children. The new universe they live in has them at the epicenter with the numerous social media influencers tugging at them in all directions. Their life is changing real time. Information surrounds them unabashedly, leading them to believe completely in all that is thrown at them. Resisting this will only distance them from us parents.”

“We parent’s are losing power over children and  this fear is turning us into control freaks, suspicious of everything and everyone around them. We snoop on them, we preach to them, we denounce their world as bad. We want them to learn everything. But only everything that WE want them to learn. We impose our preconditioned rights and wrongs on them and want them to be … well… like us. “

Charulata believes it is time for parents to change. “ the game of power has to change”, she says, adding, “parents are NOT always right. Imposing our value systems, philosophies and principles will only alienate them from us. These must be used as guiding thoughts alone and not to rule. Statements like “We always obeyed our parents… we never talked back… we never questioned rules and customs” etc are so passé. These are false benchmarks created to validate our power plays on them. We must encourage our children to question and challenge. It is the very seed of innovative thinking and free spirit. “

“Resistance to the new world of Social Media has to change.  Just because this was not our world does not make it bad. Its inevitability demands its embrace. Sensitizing our children to its limits and repercussions of overuse will need to be constantly administered--=in doses of support, not forceful implants. We need to allow them the freedom to navigate through the many layers of digital cacophony and in doing so they will discover the good, the bad and the ugly.

India has one of the world’s highest rates of suicide among people aged between 15 years and 29 years.As per a WHO report the pressures of academic performance is a key factor in this. Life stresses for them have become intense and support to overcome these are not keeping up.

“When your child picks up the ipad to surf for games and songs, don’t be suspicious; enjoy their discovery with them. I have rekindled my love for music, video games and JLT fun-time.  Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift, and games like Pinball and Immortals have brought out the young teen in me once again.”, she says.

We parents lived in one world. They live in two – the virtual and the real are now blended. Rather than resisting and shunning their world as evil, we must understand it deeper. That is if we want to help our kids in their journey through this new world and not just parent in the old-world way.

Because we parents are history and our children are carving out a new future.

Are we ready for them?

Greensole: No One Goes Barefoot

Greensole: No One Goes Barefoot

How many pairs of shoes do we discard each year? What would you say if I told you the shoes you cast away can be revamped, overhauled and remade as good as new?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that almost 1.5 billion people undergo pain because of infections caused by unprotected feet.

An independent, social venture, Greensole saw the immense potential in recycling discarded footwear with the sole aim of covering every barefoot along with creating employment. There’s an environmental angle too--- the undertaking is playing a vital role in protecting the environment by curtailing the waste generated and doing away with the Carbon Dioxide emission. Manufacturing of a pair of shoes generates 30 lbs of emission, which is equivalent to leaving a 100 -watt bulb burning for a week.

As athletes, Shriyans  Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami ran hundreds of kilometers each year throwing away 3 to 4 pairs of shoes  Hitting upon the idea of making discarded shoes usable and with some research they were able to revamp sports shoes with intact soles into comfortable slippers. This is how their journey began.

Twenty-two year old Dhami who is the co-founder of the venture was born in Prachinti, a small village in Pittorgarh (UP). He ran away from home at 10 because of troubles at home and traveled across north India eking a living out of odd jobs.

Like most runaway youngsters he arrived in Mumbai 2 years later with dreams of becoming an actor.

He lived on the footpath, going hungry, doing drugs and committing petty crimes till he came in contact with the NGO Saathi where he learnt to read and write and make paper bags. The NGO encouraged him to take up sports and that’s how he met Shriyans Bhandari at the Priyadarshini Park.

Bhandari hailed from a business family with roots in Rajasthan and was a Management student at Mumbai’s Jai Hind College. Both shared their passion for running. On one occasion Dhami noticed that his shoes were wearing out quickly, but the soles were intact. Not able to afford a new pair he fashioned a pair of slippers with some glue and tyre tubing.

Both joined hands and set up Greensole in 2015 funding their venture with cash prizes they won in business competitions. Within a few months of setting up their venture,they had provided footwear to 10,000 people in need across villages in India.

 Although, the idea was appreciated by all the duo got their major breakthrough when they presented the idea in an exhibition at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmadabad, in 2014. They were selected among the top 30 innovators of country. The idea was also accorded with the Technology and Sustainability Award in Eureka, International Business Plan Competition of IIT Bombay and the venture received funding worth Rs. 3 lakh.

Lack of experience in the field was a major hurdle..in their search they landed at

Thakkar Bappa Colony in Mumbai,famous for its shoe market, where they gathered information regarding shoe manufacturing.  To take up refurbishing on a large scale, GreenSole took Ram Fashion Exports on board, a company manufacturing shoes since the past 53 years. GreenSole is based on the concept of collecting, recycling the discarded footwear and then distributing them.

The project also has partnership with 17 corporates like Tata Group, JLL, India Bulls etc. Discarded footwear is collected from these corporates and from a collection centre, then sent to their factory in Navi Mumbai  to make them reusable. The refurbished footwear is then distributed in schools across villages. 

A chunk of the footwear manufactured is also sold by Greensole to make itself sustainable. It has been successful and has provided footwear to the students in schools across the villages like Murbad, Naroli, Kalsuri, Mokhada.

 Lauded by  Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, and Barack Obama, President of USA.Shriyans believes  “Business and philanthropy can go hand in hand.”

 Having taken the first steps successfully, Shriyans hopes to provide footwear to 50,000  in 2016 and 100,000 by 2017. If you can give a pair of discarded shoes, we can give you a new pair for Rs. 199 to 1,499 depending on the design.!

Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer

Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: How it Helps

Thanks to Angelina Jolie, there has been much talk in recent years about the possibility of genetic testing to check an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer. Ever since the actor underwent preventable double mastectomy after discovering that she carried gene mutations, more people are interested in understanding the concept and whether risk reduction is actually possible.

Do I have a genetically higher risk of suffering from breast cancer? Are most breast cancers attributable to gene mutation? Will all people with mutation in BRCA-(cancer causing genes) go on to develop breast cancer? When it comes to genetic testing for cancers, a lot of questions abound in the minds of common people. While the “Angelina Jolie Effect” raised much awareness about the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC), there are a lot of prevalent myths and misconceptions that need to be cleared.

What is genetic testing?

Simply, put, genetic testing searches for specific changes in a person’s DNA .Genetic changes can have harmful, beneficial, neutral (no effect). Mutations that are harmful may increase a person’s chance, or risk, of developing a disease such as cancer. Overall, inherited mutations are thought to play a role in about 5 to 10 per cent of all cancers.

Breast Cancer: The problem

Breast cancer is today the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women in India, surpassing cervical cancer. According to estimates of World Health Organization (WHO), roughly 144,937 women in India were detected with breast cancer in 2012 and 70,218 died of it, making it one death for every two new diagnoses. With the incidence of the disease rising by more than 20% since 2008, India is expected to have a whopping 200,000 new cases of breast cancer per year by 2030.

Age, sex, ethnicity and genetic predisposition are main risk factors for breast cancer. However, today there has also been a rise in risk factors propelled by lifestyle. Like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, rise in breast cancer incidence in India can also be attributed to the increase in urbanization, rapid adoption of westernized lifestyles, and shift in reproductive behavior, with increasing number of younger women reporting the disease.

Women who are diagnosed at a younger age also are more likely to have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes which present poor prognosis. Doctors are also reporting the prevalence of more aggressive cancers in younger women. Hence, it becomes important to educate and create awareness about the need of genetic counseling and genetic testing for breast cancer.

What is Genetic Mutation?

Some women have a genetic mutation in the tumor-suppressing BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genes, in normal cells, help prevent cancer by making proteins that keep the cells from growing abnormally. However, in case there is a genetic mutation in these genes, the risk of cancer is high for both breast as well as ovaries.

In people with normal genes, the risk of breast cancer is 12 per cent. Yet, in a person with mutation in BRCA 1 genes, the risk stands at 50-80 per cent and in a person with mutation in BRCA 2 genes, the risk is 40-70 per cent.

Similar is the case with ovarian cancer. While an individual with normal genes stands a 1-2 per cent risk of developing ovarian cancer, a person with BRCA 1 mutation has her risk amplified to 24-40 per cent and 11-18 per cent in case of BRCA mutation.

The cancer risk is amplified by mutation in both genes or one. We need to bust the prevailing myth that one of the BRCA genes is responsible for breast cancer, while the other for ovarian cancer.

Benefits of testing for BRCA1/2: Is Genetic testing a foolproof solution?

A lot of concerned women ask whether undergoing genetic testing and having its results in hand will help them prevent breast and ovarian cancer with utmost certainty. Or whether having a gene mutation means they will certainly develop the disease at some point of time in life. The answer to both questions is no.

Although they are at increased risk, not all people with BRCA1/2 mutations go on to develop cancer. Among those who do develop cancer, the age of onset and type of cancer varies. The BRCA1/2 mutations run in families. They may be inherited from a person’s mother or father. There is a 50 per cent (or one in two) chance that a child born to a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes shall inherit the mutation.

The test cannot predict ‘if’ or ‘when’ the person will develop breast or ovarian cancer; it can only determine if he or she is at risk because of the faulty gene(s). However, a negative test result affords freedom from anxiety about either your/your progeny’s risk for inheriting the family’s cancer susceptibility. At the same time, an early diagnosis of a positive result could mean better overall prognosis or outlook.

·  If you test positive, you can consult your genetic counselor and decide on taking a preventive action such as a preventive removal of the ovaries and breasts.

·  If you test positive, you would also know the need to be additionally alert against these diseases; so that you will make sure you undergo regular screenings and mammography. Early diagnosis of breast cancer makes  a big difference to life and death, and also ensures you have to undergo less aggressive treatments as compared to people diagnosed in later stages.

·  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S.A., has approved several drugs, and drug combinations for breast cancer prevention, and treatment. Tamoxifen and Raloxifene reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, and are used for risk management among women who carryBRCA1/2 mutations.

·   

Who should undergo genetic testing?

Individuals with family history of any of these conditions should undergo testing:

·  Cancer in both breasts in the same woman.

·  Breast cancer diagnosed  before  50 years of age.

·  Breast and ovarian cancers in either the same woman, or in the same family.

·  Multiple tumors found in the same breast.

·  Two or more primary types of BRCA1- or BRCA2-related cancers in a single family member.

·  Case of male breast cancer.

·  Certain ethnicities, such as the Ashkenazi Jews.

What are the tests available in India?

A battery of genetic tests is available in India: Hotspot testing, Carrier testing, Full gene sequencing, Deletion/duplication analysis, and Breast Ovarian Cancer Panel (Massive Parallel Sequencing analysis of multiple genes including BRCA1/2).

CORE Diagnostics offers the entire range of testing, along with free genetic counseling for guiding medical follow-up.

Ms. Anika Parashar, COO, Fortis La Femme and a globally renowned counsellor believes that it’s not only the severity of the disease but also the stigma around it that is to be dealt with it. 

What are the common stigmas and how can they be tackled?

 The foremost stigma about Breast Cancer is that it changes your life forever. It leaves you with physical and emotional devastation, wounded in both body and spirit. And while you mostly recover, you can never return to your life like before. Plucked from the healthy herd, you are branded a “survivor” – and nothing will ever be the same. You are confirmed to be completely cured of it only if you die of something else.”

But all of this can be tackled by positive counselling of the patient and  the family. Counselling can help you to cope better with the many difficulties you face, during and after your cancer diagnosis and treatment. It can help reduce the stress you face and improve your quality of life.It has also been scientifically proven that women experienced a boost in their immunty. A counsellor may help you to find different ways of coping that had not occurred to you before. And because counselling is confidential, you can be honest about what is bothering you. 

 Breast cancer & related issues

There are a few things about breastcancer which, if taken care off can keep you away from it! First and foremost, know your breasts, the feel and lookof your breasts and hence a monthly self-examination is key. Breast self-examination should be done immediately after your periods and if you notice any mass, lump, retraction or discharge from nipples or an uneven size of the breasts you must consult a physician.  The risk factor increases when you have a family history of a breast carcinoma.

Apart from the family history there are other factors like aging, benign breast problems, early exposure to ionizing radiation, having children later in life or not at all, lack of exercise and drinking alcohol. All women above the age of 40 should have an annual mammography. Early breast cancer is completely treatable .All breast cancers are not the same! Some grow early, some grow fast and hence the prognosis for all is not the same. Breast awareness can help reduce the deaths from breast cancer, so be Breast Aware! 

There are a few concerns which often come handy with Breast Cancer. Nutritional status and dietary intake play a significant role in the prognosis of breast cancer patients and may modify the progression of disease, as well as influence risk for comorbid conditions, such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Some other common late effects include an early menopause, emotional distress and depression, fatigue or insomnia (trouble sleeping), fear of recurrence, sexuality and intimacy issues.