By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: After creating world record for being the only mother to scale Mount Everest twice within the span of 10 days, Arunachal Pradesh mountaineer Anshu Jamsenpa is once again gearing up to climb the world’s highest peak. This time around Anshu is in a different mission to spread awareness on Breast cancer among her fellow countrymen.
“Hopefully, I will start my new journey on April this year. I feel that, we have still miles to go as far as conquering the Breast cancer is concerned. I will be more than glad to lend my helping hand in this regard,” Anshu told TwoCircles.net. This, if successful, would be her fourth expedition to the Mount Everest altogether.
Anshu Jamsenpa at the top of Everest.
The fund which will be raised will be distributed among the cancer patients and organizations working in this regard. She will also conduct workshops in different places after the completion of the expedition among the people that the deadly disease can be got rid of if detected early. She is also seeking help from B Barooah Cancer Institute so that her mission can be completed in a successful way.
So far, though, the response from the sponsors is not encouraging enough, Anshu is helpful of gathering sufficient amount fund.
“Hopefully, I will be able to gather sufficient amount of fund to contribute in the mission. So far two persons from Hyderabad have promised to bear the 10 per cent of the total expenditure and the rest has to be sorted out by my own sources,” she added.
Anshu, mother of two, hails from Bomdila, a remote town in Arunachal Pradesh. She created a mountaineering record by climbing and unfurling the national tri colour on Mount Everest on May 12 in 2011 and again on May 21 in the same year thus becoming the first mother in the world to summit the world’s highest peak twice in a span of just 10 days.
Anshu taking rest inside a camp in Himalaya.
In the year 2013, Anshu along with six others from north-eastern states scaled the Mount Everest.
Besides, Anshu is keen on starting an adventure institute in Arunachal Pradesh fully devoted to the development of adventure sports and adventure tourism. “I’m also planning to train students and youths in mountaineering and other adventure activities so that this little known NE region can come at par with the other developed states of the country in the field of adventure activities,” she said.
According to the data provided by B Barooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), about 311 cases of breast cancer among women have been treated in the hospital during 2011-12, while only 10 such cases in males have been treated. According to the data, around 15.3% women suffer from the disease while in men the figure is around 0.35%.
Assistant professor-cum-in-charge, department of preventive oncology, BBCI, Shabana Bhagawati said, “With rapid urbanization, the incidents of breast cancer are increasing. Early detection of the disease and treatment can save many lives which is possible only through awareness. But, it is seen that awareness among the people is very low. Moreover, there are many people who are aware of the disease but take the matter very lightly”.
Anshu Jamsenpa
Aizwal district records the highest breast cancer cases in the NE with 27 cases per lakh of population. Kamrup (Metro) district ranks second with 19 cases per lakh people. East Khasi Hills also has a high prevalence of breast cancer. The increase is attributed to factors like obesity, changing lifestyle, early menarche and late menopause. According to studies, 5 to 10 per cent cases are attributed to heredity.
According to Globocan (WHO) for the year 2012, India recorded 70, 218 deaths due to breast cancer more than any other country in the world.