Pastavilla Calls on Women During "Breast Cancer Awareness Month"

October is recognized worldwide as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and represents a critical period for bringing women's health to the forefront of public attention. In Turkey, 1 in 8 women receives this diagnosis in her lifetime, and approximately one quarter of diagnoses occur in women under 40 years of age. Pastavilla has not remained indifferent to this situation and launched screening and education programs for its 900 female employees. The company provided breast ultrasound support for women under 40 and mammography support for women over 40. Inspired by the experience of General Manager Dilara Arslan, this project contributes to raising the visibility of women's health across society.

'Breast Cancer Awareness Month' is organized every October each year to draw attention to this important disease, build awareness in society, and emphasize the importance of early detection. Activities conducted during this month often bring to the agenda a topic that is frequently postponed. Events and campaigns organized in this field play a critical role in encouraging women to undergo regular screenings, making silent risks visible, and reminding society that health is a priority that cannot be postponed.

Pastavilla, one of the world's leading pasta manufacturers, has launched an awareness and screening program for its female employees in October to draw attention to the importance of early detection in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Following General Manager Dilara Arslan's breast cancer diagnosis this year, this health initiative, which she launched with the determination to transform her experience into awareness, covers 900 women working at Pastavilla. The program, implemented through a hospital partnership, provides breast ultrasound support for women under 40 and mammography support for women over 40. Women participate in awareness training sessions organized weekly in groups of 100 people and then undergo screenings.

A call from Pastavilla General Manager Dilara Arslan to women on early detection:
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36 and my treatment is ongoing. Until I received the cancer diagnosis, I had not experienced any serious health problems and had no chronic illnesses. There was no family history of cancer, my genetic tests came back clear, and I lived a healthy life. Moreover, I was not particularly in the age group of 40 and above that is specifically highlighted. In other words, I did not have any of the defined major risk factors. Yet I faced this disease and realized that no woman is completely outside this risk.

This project that we have launched under the Pastavilla umbrella is valuable both in making our employees feel that we are with them and in carrying the message 'early detection saves lives' to society. I would like to make a call to institutions from here as well: Starting with your own employees, let's turn these screenings into a public health mobilization across the country. My greatest wish is that women do not postpone their own health and make regular check-ups a habit."

'1 in 8 women receives this diagnosis!'
Data on breast cancer in Turkey is both alarming and a call to action. 1 in 8 women receives this diagnosis in her lifetime; approximately one-fifth of diagnoses are made in women under 40 years of age. Furthermore, the rate of mammography screening in the 50-69 age group in the past two years is only 33.3 percent. This low participation rate points to difficulties in access to screening, lack of public awareness, and gaps in health education. Additionally, scientific sources show that when breast cancer diagnoses are detected at an early stage, treatment success rates increase significantly. This situation demonstrates that awareness projects are not merely well-intentioned, but necessary and urgent interventions.