Blind women are helping detect breast cancer using braille, tactile methods

Visually challenged women at the National Association for The Blind (NAB) -- a non-profit organisation -- learn how to screen breast cancer

A group of young, visually challenged women are redefining the narrative around breast cancer screening.

At the National Association for The Blind (NAB), a non-profit organisation located in Delhi, a group of visually challenged women are working on the “Discovering Hands” initiative for breast cancer detection. It is an initiative started by German gynaecologist Frank Hoffmann to make breast screening accessible to all women under 50.

Under this programme, visually challenged women are taught how to conduct Tactile Breast Examinations (TBE) relying on touch and intuition. “Every time I perform this examination on women, I feel like a doctor, despite my disability,” Neetu Garg, a visually impaired Medical Tactile Examiner (MTE) at NAB, told Moneycontrol.

Breast cancer screening is not just a medical procedure but also an emotional experience. Garg explained, “We have to do the entire process, from taking the patient’s medical history details before performing the exam to sending the final screening report to the gynaecologists ourselves. Conducting the examination takes around 45 minutes. We begin by establishing an amicable rapport with the patients.”

The examination is performed using skin-friendly braille strips known as Documentation and Orientation (DOCOS) tape. Using DOCOS, the breast region is separated into four zones; they help the MTEs pinpoint the precise location of their discoveries. MTEs scan the entire breast by moving their fingers in a straight line from one braille tape to another.

According to Neha Pandey, a trainer at the institute that has been working with visually challenged women since 2018, the centre has helped more than 5,000 women through this initiative. “Our girls have received support from many hospitals, including TMH Varanasi, TMH Mumbai, CK Birla Hospital, and Vedanta Hospital,” she said.

Upasana Gupta, who worked as a nurse before losing sight in an accident, said she felt her life had come to a standstill until this programme helped her continue providing healthcare services. “Through this programme, I’m extremely happy to continue in the medical line and help women in the first stage of cancer detection,” she said.