Aiming to emphasize the critical importance of early detection of breast cancer and increase awareness, the Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Faculty of Medicine Hospital hosted a panel titled “Breast Cancer Awareness Panel: Being Aware Is Taking Action.”
Held in the hospital's Pink Hall, the event featured panelists, including Prof. Dr. Ayfer Kamalı Polat from the General Surgery Department of the Surgical Medical Sciences and Prof. Dr. Bülent Çetin from the Internal Medicine Department. Alongside Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Ünsal Özgen, the panel saw the attendance of faculty members, hospital administrators, academics, and hospital staff.
Prof. Dr. Ayfer Kamalı Polat, who also moderated the panel, presented vital information on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods for breast cancer—a leading cause of death among women both in Turkey and globally.
Prof. Dr. Polat highlighted the significance of early diagnosis of breast cancer and the essential role of a multidisciplinary approach in its diagnosis and treatment. She underscored the need to raise awareness about this disease consistently.
Panelist Prof. Dr. Bülent Çetin shared artwork created by breast cancer patients undergoing treatment, emphasizing the importance of morale and psychological support in overcoming the illness.
Additionally, hospital employees who had survived breast cancer—Pınar Çelebi, Mualla Mutlu Memişoğlu, and Elif Demirci—shared their personal journeys, experiences, and feelings with the audience, offering guidance and support to others battling the disease.