Islamabad, September 5, 2025( Kamran Raja ): The Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL), in collaboration with the University of Manchester (UK), has launched the Defeat Cancer Campaign at Kohinoor Hall, Marriott Hotel, Islamabad. The initiative builds on the Moving on After Breast Cancer (ABC) clinical trial (NIHR205561), funded by the UK’s National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), which provides culturally adapted psychosocial interventions for breast cancer survivors with depression in Pakistan.
The campaign marks Pakistan’s first effort to directly link an NIHR-funded clinical trial with a national awareness initiative, bringing together policymakers, health experts, researchers, and survivors.
Professor Mowadat Hussain Rana, host of the event, reflected on PILL’s history and its commitment to addressing mental health across the lifespan, emphasizing how this campaign extends that mission into breast cancer care.
Professor Nasim Chaudhry, CEO of PILL, described the campaign as a milestone in PILL’s two decades of pioneering research and policy contributions, including suicide prevention, rehabilitation, and Sindh’s first provincial mental health policy.
Dr. Tayyeba Kiran, Associate Program Director of the Moving on ABC trial, explained how the study provides structured psychosocial support to survivors and offers scalable models to inform cancer care policy nationwide.
Ms. Lubna Khan, Director of the Global Health Research Delivery Network and Director of the Defeat Cancer Campaign, stressed the urgent need to break the silence and stigma around breast cancer and mental health. She called for open dialogue and reaffirmed her commitment to lead the campaign through awareness, access, and advocacy.
A moving testimony from survivor Dr. Zobia Afsheen underscored the importance of structured mental health care, while Dr. Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson and survivor, urged empathy and dignity for women facing breast cancer, calling for early detection and equal access to care.
From the policy side, Mr. Nasiruddin Mashood, former Special Secretary Health, highlighted the urgent need for a national breast cancer registry to enable effective planning. Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani, Federal Secretary of Education, recommended expanding successful initiatives from Gilgit-Baltistan nationwide, including awareness posters in schools, survivor story sessions, and educational videos in universities.
Ms. Shahista Pervaiz, Member of the National Assembly, linked cancer prevention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), advocating mobile screening units, expanded awareness campaigns, and the inclusion of preventive vaccines such as HPV in the national immunization programme.
Professor Imran Bashir Chaudhry, Chairman of Psychiatry at Ziauddin University, described cancer as an “invisible risk” and emphasized that this campaign marks “the beginning of a journey, not the end,” urging global collaboration and community engagement. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of honorary shields to distinguished guests, with participants pledging to advance early detection, expand awareness, and improve treatment access for breast cancer across Pakistan. The Defeat Cancer Campaign stands as a national milestone, connecting world-class research, survivor voices, and policymaker commitment to ensure that women in Pakistan can move forward with dignity and resilience after breast cancer.