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Typically, our task of Vasantham begins at around 6.30 in the evening, in a village. 3-4 volunteers address about 30-50 people in one session. A common address on the general awareness is followed by separate talks for the men and women. A male volunteer fills the men on details of colon, prostate and tobacco related cancers.

In the meantime, a lady volunteer updates women on cancers pertaining to breasts and the cervix. A video self examination, followed by a nodule simulated model breast examination is shown to the people.

At the end of the Vasantham session,Video film showing the early signs of commonly occuring cancers is screened & literature in Tamil is handed over to each of the participants.

The educators would reach the village around 6- 6.30 pm, a time when the farmers return home from their fields . At that time all they wanted to do is to relax with a smoke & watch a TV program. And at that moment the Trust was holding them with unpleasant stuff. Naturally there was a great reluctance for the people to congregate & an indifference to whatever the educator uttered. But as the talk progressed indifference turned into concern. They listened quietly, watched the video film & came up with relevant queries. They admitted their helplessness to quit tobacco. They sought help. The women who were taught breast self-exam practiced enthusiastically on the models. At the end the gathered requested for a screening camp.

This scene was seen in village after village. In the last 15 months 14 panchayat unions comprising of more than 90 villages in the Annur taluk of Coimbatore district have been covered. In addition a couple of panchayats in Pollachi taluk of Coimbatore District and few villages in Perinaikenpalayam have also been covered.

The response is increasing day by day. In the recent past at each gathering there are more than 100 people paying full attention to every detail. It was rewarding to us when a 70 year lady picked up nodule in her breast that was less than one centimetre in size. The doctor who examined her subsequently was amazed & said that her trained hands would have easily missed the nodule. The patient underwent surgery in due course.

Hamlet by hamlet the trust volunteers have reached the basic facts about cancer. This is rewarding experience both to the educator & the villager. Many have started to quit to tobacco, a few turned up to the Trust’s help center & got themselves examined. Many more would like to get screened if the facility is available closer to their home…!