Asunción, Agencia IP.- The engineer Lira Giménez, General Director of the National Institute of Technology and Normalization (INTN, by its acronym in Spanish), shared her inspiring story as a breast cancer survivor. Her story, full of bravery and determination, highlights the importance of early detection and the hope it offers to the ones facing this disease.
«In November, I am turning 15 years of a new life because enduring breast cancer represents a new life. Today, I have maintenance chemotherapy, but I am on stage 4, which means never to throw in the towel and that miracles exist», expressed the engineer Lira Giménez. Her testimony is a reminder that the fight against cancer is a battle that can be won, even in the most advanced stages.
Dr. Diana Garcete, technical assessor of the National Program of Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment of Cervix Cancer and Breasts (PNPCACUM, by its acronym in Spanish), also participated in the conversation and pointed out the importance of secondary prevention in the fight against breast cancer. «Unfortunately, so far, we cannot avoid that the cancer appears. What we can do as doctors or specialists is the secondary prevention».
She explained that secondary prevention medicine is trying to reach the diagnosis as early as possible to have cases in incipient stages and have more possibilities of talking about a cure. «In this area of medicine, we still do not have the secret to prevent the disease from occurring. So, the only and most important tool is early diagnosis,» she assured.
These words mark the necessity of awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Secondary prevention implies the realization of physical exams daily, such as auto examinations or yearly, with mammography that can detect the disease in its early stages when the possibilities of healing are higher.
The testimony of the engineer Lira Giménez and the experience of Dr. Diana Garcete remind us that breast cancer does not discriminate and can affect any person, regardless of age or gender. The fight against this disease is a collective effort involving doctors, patients and society.
It is crucial to keep encouraging awareness about breast cancer, promoting the importance of early detection and supporting medical research to find more effective treatments.
Pink October 2023 Campaign
The campaign «Pink October 2023» is promoted by the Office of the First Lady, Leticia Ocampos. Its motto is «Let’s make prevention a tradition». This initiative aims to involve Paraguayan society in this cause that can save lives.
The official launch of the campaign was made on October 1st through a video published on social media of the First Lady, in which the Head of Cabinet, Lea Giménez; the Minister of Health, María Teresa Barán; the Minister of Culture, Adriana Ortiz; the President of the Paraguayan Institute of Craftsmanship, Andrea Vázquez, and Dr. Marina Ortega from the National Institute of Cancer.