Want to volunteer or donate to GWHI? Contact Us!
- info@gwhi.org.pk
- 0321-846-0202
Cervical and Breast Health Prevention is the cure. We are leading the charge to eliminate preventable cancers in Pakistan.
HPV Vaccination: Facilitating access to life-saving vaccines for young girls to prevent cervical cancer before it starts.
Screening & Early Detection: Providing low-cost and free Pap smears, HPV DNA testing, and Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) for women in underserved areas.
Breast Health: Clinical breast examinations and referral pathways for mammography and treatment.
GWHI’s approach addresses the two biggest hurdles in preventive oncology: Access and Awareness. By moving services from the hospital to the community, they turn “hopeless cases” into “success stories.”
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To sustain this life-saving work, you can get involved by sponsoring a screening camp in a high-need district or volunteering as a community advocate to help break the silence surrounding women’s health. Your support, whether through donations or time, ensures that no woman has to face a preventable diagnosis alone.
Background: Zoya, a 32-year-old factory worker, in Faisalabad, noticed a small lump but ignored it for months, fearing the cost of treatment and the stigma of a cancer diagnosis in her family.
The Intervention: Through GWHI’s Breast Cancer Awareness and Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) initiative at her workplace, Zoya attended a seminar. The program emphasized that “Cancer is not a death sentence if caught early.”
The Impact: Empowered by the session, Zoya consented to a clinical exam on-site. The GWHI team identified a suspicious mass and fast-tracked her for an ultrasound and biopsy. It was Stage I Breast Cancer.
Financial Support: GWHI assisted her in navigating the provincial health card system to ensure her treatment didn’t bankrupt her family.
Outcome: Because it was caught in the earliest stage, Zoya underwent a breast-conserving surgery rather than a full mastectomy, allowing her to return to work within months.
“For months, I felt something was wrong, but I stayed silent. In our community, we are taught that a woman’s health comes last. I was terrified that if I said the word ‘cancer’ out loud, I would lose my job at the factory or become a burden to my husband.
When the GWHI team came to our workplace, I listened to them speak about how early detection isn’t just about medicine; it’s about staying whole for your family. That day, I chose to be brave.
Finding out it was Stage I was a shock, but the GWHI team didn’t just give me a diagnosis and walk away. They held my hand through the health card process and showed me that I wasn’t alone. Today, I am back at my machine in the factory, providing for my children.”
The Challenge: Cervical cancer is often called a “silent killer” because it can develop for years without a single symptom. In Naseem’s village, gynecological health is rarely discussed due to deep-seated modesty and a lack of female specialists.
The Intervention: GWHI set up a specialized GYN-oncology screening camp equipped with female practitioners. Naseem was screened using VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid). This simple but effective test allows doctors to see “acetowhite” lesions on the cervix—clear indicators of precancerous cells that have not yet turned into invasive cancer.
The Impact:Immediate Action: Naseem’s test came back positive for high-grade precancerous changes.
The Procedure: Instead of waiting months for a hospital slot in a distant city, GWHI’s program facilitated a LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) to remove the abnormal tissue before it could transform into a life-threatening malignancy.
The Result: By treating the GYN issue at the “pre-cancer” stage, Naseem avoided the need for aggressive chemotherapy or radical hysterectomy.
“I didn’t even know my body was hiding a secret like this,” Naseem explained. “I went in for a check-up and came out with a second chance at life.”Â
Every action, no matter how small, can make a world of difference.
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