Ruby Hall Clinic, on World Cancer Day inaugurated a unique art installation to encourage people to take preventive tests & “lock away” cancer. 

 

The life-sized art installation was the highlight of the Cancer Day event organized by the hospital at its Sassoon Road branch and has already seen more than 500 locks put up by people who took cancer screenings as a preventive measure. 

 

Indians usually begin treating cancer at stage 2 or 3 because they lack awareness about its symptoms and end up not testing on time. In an attempt to educate the public about early detection, Ruby Hall Clinic, on the day dedicated to the battle against the deadly disease – took to reaching the public of Pune to understand that cancer can be prevented and even reversed with the help of adequate testing. 

 

The art installation, designed and curated by Ventive Maker’s Circle, a design studio based in Koregaon Park is shaped in the symbol for cancer on which locks, which denote people having been tested for cancer, can be hanged, signifying their awareness. Distinct colours were assigned to different cancers, making the installation more and more colourful as the day progressed. It will continue to perform its function throughout the month.

 

Dr. P. K. Grant, Managing Trustee; Dr. Ashok Bhanage, Chairman, Cancer Centre; Jill Grant; Dr. Simon Grant; Helen Grant, HOD of the hospital’s super specialty; along with other dignitaries like Shefali Bajaj; Prathamesh Sinha (of Shark Tank fame); and 60+ policemen came forward to support the ‘Lock Away Cancer’ initiative. Besides illuminatory speeches, it also featured a skit, an entertainment program, and a screening camp for all.

 

Behram Khodaiji, CEO, Ruby Hall Clinic said, “In India, one in nine people are likely to develop cancer in their lifetime, and the incidence rates of cancer are increasing year-on-year (said to go up by over 12% between 2020 & 2025). While new technologies are being invented around the world and used by us to aid in the treatment of cancer, awareness in the general public is still lacking when it comes to early detection – they need to understand that periodical screenings can be greatly beneficial. It is always better to know sooner than later if one is afflicted. I’m proud of our initiative to spread awareness regarding this aspect, that too in such a creative fashion.” 

 

While sobering, these statistics by the Indian Council of Medical Research exemplify the need for early detection and risk reduction. Ruby Hall Clinic’s initiative to reach out to the public through an interactive art installation to spread cancer-related awareness was lauded by many.