As per WHO’s Cancer Report, Breast Cancer is very common in Indian women.
And, more and more women are finding themselves at the risk of this deadly cancer.
In order to reduce the risk that Indian women face because of Breast Cancer, a woman with her team found a very innovative way to rescue women from the risk.
A Kerala scientist – Dr. A Seema, along with her team has designed a bra that can detect breast cancer.
This innovative bra has in-built sensors that measure skin temperature and creates thermal imaging to detect the cancerous cell. It has been developed by a six-member team, headed by Dr. A Seema of the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) from Thrissur.
On March 8, International Women’s Day, Dr. Seema was awarded the highest civilian honour for women – Nari Shakti Puraskar – by President Ram Nath Kovind for her innovations.
Dr. Seema told The Better India, how it all started,
“The idea took root when the director of Malabar Cancer Centre (Kannur) visited us sometime in 2014. They’ve been our medical partners in this project.”
She further added,
“They broached the idea of working out ways of breast cancer detection on a community scale. Mammogram was the golden standard but the provision wasn’t available in even Primary Health Centres across the country.
What they had in mind was a portable device that could be implemented at a community level. This propelled us to conceptualise a wearable device for detection through thermal imaging.”
Regarding the safety of the bra, Dr Seema shared how a bra is completely safe and doesn’t emit any kind of radiation.
“Even girls as young as 15 or 20 years of age can use the wearable device which caters to all body types. This is not possible in the case with the mammogram, as only women above 40 can undertake the screening.”
She also mentioned to The Better India, that the cost of the bra is expected to be between Rs 400 and 500.
