Roche Diagnostics India Unveils #BeYourOwnShero Campaign
Roche Diagnostics India – Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in India, affecting over 1.23 lakh women each year. The disease kills approximatelyIndian women. Despite the fact that they are the only cancers that can be prevented, there is a lack of knowledge about effective and reliable screening tools.
Because of the stigma, fear, and lack of active platforms that drive conversations about India’s need for cervical cancer screening programs, both at the public health and consumer levels, Roche Diagnostics India has launched the #BeYourOwnShero campaign. Ayushii And who better to be the voice that drives this cause than Vidya Balan, celebrated for pioneering a change in the portrayal of women in Bollywood and an epitome of courage?
#BeYourOwnShero is an integrated campaign that includes social and digital advocacy initiatives, partnerships, and on-the-ground activities to educate women about cervical cancer facts, dispel myths about vaccination versus screening, and inform them about the gold standard HPV test.
The campaign includes the release of four Hero films on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, as well as a dedicated resource hub where interested women can sign up for more information on HPV screening.
The campaign is part of Roche’s long-term commitment and ongoing initiative to drive meaningful change in women’s health and reduce the burden of cervical cancer in India, which accounts for nearly 25% of global cases.
Roche Diagnostics India
Roche Diagnostics India launched free HPV screening for all female employees and female family members of male employees in the required age group as the first leg of the campaign (35-65 years). While 82% of eligible employees chose screening, Roche Diagnostics India decided to expand its efforts to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in India.
So far, the two Hero films have received approximately 3 million views and have trended on Facebook and YouTube. Roche Diagnostics India’s social media follower growth increased by 15% in March, and its YouTube follower growth increased by more than 80%.
In addition, the company has collaborated with the Cancer Awareness, Prevention, and Early Detection Trust (CAPED) to promote cancer awareness.
Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, President of the Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of India (FOGSI), Dr. Rishma Pai, honorary consultant gynecologist at Lilavati, Jaslok, and Hinduja Health Care Hospitals in Mumbai, Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, Co-founder of Bloom IVF, and Dr. Priya Ganesh, Chairperson ONCOLOGY Committee FOGSI, and Dr.
Roche has also launched the #MyStoryForChange initiative, a one-of-a-kind platform for women to share stories about gaps in healthcare access. So far, Roche has collected over 500 stories from women all over the world.
Vidya Balan explained why she decided to join the campaign, saying, “An average Indian woman wakes up every morning to fight the smaller battles of life.” Getting her children ready for school, sprinting to catch a bus, going to work, and trying to keep her life afloat. But in her daily routine, she rarely considers her own health and well-being. I joined the campaign to educate women across the country about the importance of cervical cancer screening. For example, I was astounded to learn that this is the only cancer that can be avoided if screened early. It is critical that we women challenge the status quo and take the necessary steps to focus on our health and create the future we want.
“Our #BeYourOwnShero campaign focuses on educating and inspiring women to take control of their health and fight debilitating diseases such as cervical cancer, which is preventable,” said Manjira Sharma, Head of Communication & CSR, Roche Diagnostics & Neighboring Markets. We are thrilled to announce that Vidya Balan and institutional partners such as the CAPED are supporting our efforts to end cervical cancer in India.”
The World Health Organization has committed to eradicating cervical cancer by 2030 by focusing on vaccination, screening, and treatment, and recommends cervical cancer screening using a high-performance HPV DNA test. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should be screened, and the test should be repeated every 5-10 years. Indeed, screening
