Yuvraj Singh's cancer NGO refers to breasts as 'oranges' in ad, gets slammed: 'Shameful'

A breast cancer awareness campaign launched by cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s non-profit organisation, YouWeCan Foundation, has come under criticism for its messaging, which uses the word “oranges” as a metaphor for breasts. The campaign, aimed at promoting early detection of breast cancer, has drawn public ire for what many perceive as a trivialisation of a serious issue.

One of the campaign posters, shared widely online, displays a young woman holding two oranges in her hands while travelling on a bus. An elderly woman in the same image is seated nearby, holding a crate of oranges. The caption reads: “Check your oranges once a month,” a call to encourage regular self-examinations for signs of breast cancer.

A social media user with the handle "Confusedicius" criticised the campaign, sharing an image of the ad from inside a Delhi Metro coach. The user questioned the messaging, stating, “How will a country raise breast cancer awareness if we can’t even call breasts what they are. Check your oranges? Who makes these campaigns, who approves them?” The post tagged Yuvraj Singh and demanded the removal of the poster, describing it as “shameful and embarrassing.”

The criticism extends beyond just the wording. Some have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the campaign in conveying an important health message. Dr Pragathi Gurram, a cardiologist, expressed her disappointment, commenting on one of the campaign’s social media posts, saying, “It’s hard to understand how we can genuinely raise awareness about something when we can’t even use the correct terminology.”

The campaign also ran similar posts on Instagram with captions such as “How well do you know your oranges?” and “Have you checked your oranges lately?” These messages were similarly criticised for failing to use direct language that could help normalise conversations around breast health.