UPM's (Breast) Cancer Detector

Universiti Putra Malaysia scientists have developed a new device that can detect cancer cells within five minutes.
And for women, this means they need not go through a mammogram.

UPM's Dr M. Iqbal Saripan and his team had been working on the "Wire Mesh Collimator" since 2002.

The evice, when installed in nuclear imaging machines, is more sensitive to any changes in terms of activity in human cells.

It can detect breast cancer cells as small as 1mm.

Only four public hospitals in the country -- Kuala Lumpur Hospital, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and Sarawak Hospital -- have nuclear imaging machines, costing about RM5.7 million each, to detect cancer cells.

Read the report in the NST by Annie Freeda Cruez HERE.

I'm due for a mammogram. The reason for this "am due" is that I've been finding excuses to delay this procedure.
My last mammogram was in 2006 and it was done under a lot of pressure from my older sisters, Mariah (Kak Ton AKA Tok Mommy) and Noraida (Kak Eda who died the following year after losing her battle with breast cancer).
Thankfully, the results (of my mammogram) were good and I was in the clear. What I thought was going to be a painful procedure turned out to be a breeze.
No pain, no flattening of the breast like roti canai (as described by some of my female friends).
It was a relief.

So, why am I delaying?
Perhaps I'm quite scared of the outcome. Of the unknown.
Perhaps I'm showing typical pre-medical procedure symptoms.

Didn't someone say that "fear has the largest eyes of all"?
I know it is easy to be brave from a safe distance so I'll try to be brave up close.

My older sister, Norlin had a scare two weeks ago after an ultra-sound procedure and a mammogram in which an irregularity was detected. It turned out to be a false alarm and she is in the clear.

My younger sister, Azah, had her mammogram done last week and she too is in the clear.

Kak Ton will be going with me for our check-up.

I told myself, as I have been doing the past two months ago, that I'd confirm our appointment "this week".

"This week, Kak Ton , this week.."

Or should I wait for this Mesh watchamacallit to be installed in the hospital near us......

Kak Eda's voice is echoing in my head ---- "Ena, don't wait, Ena don't wait........"

Aaah...God bless her!