Experts at the SOA University on Wednesday advocated choice of a healthy lifestyle to keep away from cancer, saying that around one-third of all carcinomas could be prevented through diet and physical activity even as the University declared all its campuses tobacco-free zones. The announcement, coinciding with the World Cancer Day, was made by Vice-Chancellor Prof Amit Banerjee, aiming at ensuring zero consumption of tobacco products within the university precincts.
“No one is expected to consume tobacco products within the campuses and it will be voluntary till May 31, which is the World No Tobacco Day. After that, penalty will be imposed,” Prof Banerjee said while speaking at a Cancer Survivors’ Day event organised at the Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital, run by the university.
He said the university would also seek the assistance of the police, municipal and civic authorities to ensure that no tobacco products are sold within a radius of 100 meters from the university campuses. Eminent dancer Ananda Shankar Jayant, an exponent of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi styles, who had been detected with breast cancer in 2008 and “danced through” her condition, said it is the affected person’s attitude which matters the most.
“When my medical reports came, I was scared, I cried and I was angry. But then I resolved that cancer could only be one page of my life and I will not allow this page to impact my life,” Jayant, who was the chief guest at the event, told over 100 cancer survivors.