HCG CANCER HOSPITALS LAUNCHES ‘LEFT RIGHT KIYA KYA?’ TO MAKE BREAST AWARENESS A MONTHLY HABIT

HCG Cancer Hospitals has launched ‘Left Right Kiya Kya?’, a nationwide campaign urging women to make breast awareness a monthly routine. Combining music, AI-generated films and live activations, the initiative highlights the importance of early detection, encouraging women to spend three minutes each month checking for changes in breast health.

October traditionally shines a spotlight on breast cancer awareness, but HCG Cancer Hospitals is determined to extend the conversation beyond a single month. With the launch of its nationwide campaign, ‘Left Right Kiya Kya?’, the hospital group is encouraging women to make breast awareness a monthly habit, embedding it into everyday life rather than treating it as an annual reminder.  

The campaign draws inspiration from the familiar childhood words “left” and “right”, transforming them into a simple, memorable cue to check both breasts regularly. By asking the question “Left Right Kiya Kya?”, the initiative seeks to normalise breast health conversations and empower women to recognise unusual changes early enough to seek medical advice.  

The urgency of this message is underscored by sobering statistics. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s GLOBOCAN 2024 estimates, India recorded approximately 2.37 lakh new breast cancer cases and 96,100 deaths in 2024. Breast cancer accounted for nearly 30 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses among women in the country, making awareness and early detection critical to reducing mortality.  

To bring the campaign to life, HCG has employed a mix of creative storytelling and public engagement. An AI-generated film featuring women from diverse walks of life in everyday situations reinforces the message that breast awareness should be routine. Complementing this, a live activation at Nexus Seawoods in Navi Mumbai saw women dressed in pink surprising shoppers with a musical performance, followed by a doctor’s demonstration on recognising breast changes. Both films and activations emphasise the campaign’s central mantra: three minutes, once a month.  

Manu Sankar Das, Chief Marketing Officer at HCG Cancer Hospitals, explained the thinking behind the initiative: “Somewhere between knowing that a breast self-check matters and actually doing it, something gets lost. Not the intention. The reminder. We build routines around so many things in our lives, but breast health rarely finds a place in them. At HCG, we found a cue in two words almost all of us learnt as children: Left. Right. We’ve given them a new purpose. ‘Left Right Kiya Kya?’ is a question that’s hard to forget and easy to ask someone you care about. Awareness that lasts only through October isn’t enough. It needs to become a reminder that comes back every month. Left breast. Right breast. Three minutes, once a month. That’s how awareness becomes action.”  

The campaign encourages women to look, check and feel: look for changes in size, shape or skin; check for unusual changes around the breasts or nipples; and feel to become familiar with how both breasts and underarm areas normally feel.  

Dr Jayanti Thumsi, Group Lead – Robotic Breast Surgery at HCG Cancer Hospitals, reinforced the importance of vigilance: “We still see women who come to us when their breast cancer is already advanced. Sometimes, changes have been noticed but not acted upon. That’s why being familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel matters. Most breast changes are not cancer, but they should never be ignored. If you notice a lump, unusual nipple discharge or any other change, consult a doctor without delay. Breast awareness does not replace screening, and mammograms should be planned based on age and individual risk.”