1. discovering
hands
Fighting Breast Cancer
&
Empowering Blind Women

2. 1.7 Million Women 500000 Women In India
are diagnosed with breast cancer each year
Women
die from breast cancer each year
In India
60% breast cancer cases detected at an advanced stage
30% women not amenable to mammography due to density
of their breasts
27% survival rate in advance stage compared to 98% in early
stages
1 out of every 2 women diagnosed with breast cancer die due
to late diagnosis
SOURCE: American Cancer Society: Global Facts and Figures, 3rd Edition, p. 37, National Cancer Registry Program

3. Are women in India aware about Breast Health?
Preventive screening is almost non existent in India
Breast cancer peaks at 40–50 years in Indian women.
Mammography advised only to women above 40. Not very effective for women with dense breasts
Young women also at high risk due to late puberty, late pregnancy, no breastfeeding, alcohol and smoking etc
Limited awareness and avenues for young women to get regular screening

4. The Concept
Discovering Hands is an innovative program to train visually impaired women to use their highly developed sensory skills to detect abnormalities in the breast.
Developed by renowned German gynaecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann to provide accessible breast screening for women of all age groups.
Medical Tactile Examiners (MTEs) are trained to conduct a detailed, safe, repeatable and accurate clinical breast examination.
MTE doing an examination at NAB, New Delhi

5. An optimal sense of touch allows earlier detection of abnormalities
Blind and visually impaired have a more differentiated and sensitive tactile sensation (see Braille)
Trained medical-tactile examiner (MTE) use this sense of touch for early breast cancer detection
In the examination which takes minutes, they find lumps as small as 6- 8 mm

6. The Method
Medical Tactile Examination is designed as a standardized system based on Braille strips.
In a 45 min session, MTE takes thorough patient history, patient counseling and clinical breast examination.
5 adhesive DOCOS* strips are placed around a woman’s breast with both braille and color coordinated boxes that allow MTEs to check every cm of the breast to find any abnormality.
Breast divided into 4 sections with DOCOS Strips
MTE then shares the report with the doctor who assess and decides the future course of action.
* Documentation and Orientation System

7. During medical tactile examination smaller tumors are found
Findings with self-examination
Findings with clinical breast examination by gynecologist
Findings with breast examination by MTE
25 mm
20-10 mm
8-6 mm

8. Benefits
Detailed, economical and manual breast screening with counselling on self breast examination
For women of all age groups
Radiation-Free and repeatable procedure to enable regular check ups

9. discovering hands: a prize winning Concept
Innovation Award Financial Times Germany
2009 Sonderpreis des deutschen Gesundheitswesens
2010 Ashoka Fellowship
Global5 Award Switzerland
2014 Seif Award Switzerland
Sustainable Entrepreneurship Award Austria
2014 BAYER Aspirin Social Award Germany
Next Economy Award Germany
Deutschland – Land der Ideen Ausgezeichneter Ort
Civil Society Price EESC / Bruxelles

10. DISCOVERING HANDS INDIA
Medical Tactile Examiners (MTEs) receiving their certificates from Dr. Frank Hoffmann and the Discovering Hands team from Germany after completing their internship at Medanta Hospital in July 2018 in New Delhi

11. Choose a screening centre in Delhi NCR
CONTACT
Choose a screening centre in Delhi NCR
Brought to you by
NAB India Centre for Blind Women & Disability Studies
L-25, Hauz Khas Enclave, New Delhi
For queries and screening appointments, call