Mumbai: To raise awareness about breast cancer, Nanavati Max Hospital has rolled out a ‘Pink Speedbreaker campaign’ across key locations in Mumbai, with the message ‘Some Bumps Can Slow Down Life’.
Speedbreakers in prominent areas like Juhu, Vile Parle-Santacruz and Bandra have been painted pink and bear the message, which is part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the hospital, this initiative reminds people to prioritise health screenings despite their busy lives. It highlights the importance of early detection in preventing serious complications from breast cancer.
The iconic Asiatic Library in Fort is also being illuminated in pink, symbolising hope and resilience, and stressing the critical need for women to prioritise their breast health.
However, another campaign, by the nonprofit YouWeCan set up by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, seemed to have hit the wrong note with its poster in the Delhi Metro urging women to check their “oranges”, using the fruit as a metaphor for breasts. A backlash ensued on social media, with a Twitter (now X) commenter asking how breast cancer awareness could be raised if “we can’t even call breasts what they are”. Paradoxically, the controversy may well draw more than the targeted attention to the topic.
‘Check Your Oranges’: DMRC Removes Delhi Metro Breast Cancer Ad Put Up By Yuvraj Singh’s NGO After Online Backlash
Meanwhile the Pink Speedbreaker campaign in Mumbai is set to continue with a ‘Pink Walk’ on October 26, where over 100 community members will don pink Tshirts and carry placards in solidarity with breast cancer survivors. The event will conclude with the symbolic release of pink balloons, spreading the message of the importance of early screenings to enhance survival rates.
Dr Garvit Chitkara, Senior Consultant, Breast Surgical Oncology & Oncoplastic Surgery at Nanavati Max Hospital, said, “Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide. Initiatives like these highlight the critical role regular screenings and early detection play in improving outcomes. Our experience shows that patients diagnosed through routine screenings have far better treatment outcomes than those diagnosed at a more advanced stage by chance.”