Every year, 90,000 Pakistani women hear those three words nobody wants to hear, You have cancer. Specifically, breast cancer. And the worst part? Most cases aren’t caught early enough.
That’s precisely why we hosted this event at WorkPod last month. Not just to tick a box or post something on social media, but because this conversation needs to happen more often in Pakistan.
Why We Hosted a Pinktober Event in Lahore
October is recognized worldwide as Pink October, a month dedicated to breast cancer awareness and early detection. As part of our own Pinktober event in Lahore, WorkPod turned its coworking space into a hub for open conversation, expert advice, and community support. This wasn’t just a breast cancer awareness campaign in Lahore; it was a chance for our members and the wider community to come together around women’s health awareness.
Meet the Experts Behind the Program
Two respected voices led our breast cancer awareness program in Lahore:
Dr. Misbah Masood: Former Head of Oncology at Inmol Cancer Hospital, bringing over three decades of clinical experience in cancer care. Her firsthand insight gave attendees a realistic, hopeful picture of what breast cancer treatment looks like today.
Moneeza Hashmi: A veteran broadcaster with decades of media experience, long recognized for championing women’s health issues in Pakistan.
Together, they anchored a session that mixed medical facts with real, human conversation.
Pink Ribbons, Real Conversations
The event opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, with guests dressed in pink scarves in a show of solidarity. It set a warm tone for the women’s health event in Lahore that followed, one built around learning, not fear.
What Dr. Misbah Wanted Everyone to Know
Dr. Misbah opened with a message that reframed the topic for many in the room: breast cancer, caught early, is treatable, not a death sentence. She also highlighted a fact often overlooked: men can develop breast cancer too, and frequently notice symptoms later, which can make it more serious by the time it’s diagnosed.
She walked attendees through the key warning signs to watch for:
- Lumps in the breast or underarm
- Unusual skin changes
- Unexpected nipple discharge
- Changes in breast shape or size
She also encouraged regular self-exams and screenings, noting that Pakistan already has strong treatment options available: surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy but outcomes depend heavily on catching the disease early.
Breast Cancer Is a Shared Responsibility
Moneeza Hashmi added a community-focused perspective, describing breast cancer as not just a personal struggle, but a societal challenge. Drawing on her own experience and stories from friends who’ve faced the disease, she encouraged the room to talk about it openly, a message that resonated strongly at this women’s community event in Lahore.
Open Floor: Questions from the Community
The Q&A brought out genuine curiosity and concern. Guests asked about genetic risk, lifestyle factors, and how breast cancer shows up differently in men. Dr. Misbah reminded everyone that most cases occur in people with no family history at all, meaning awareness matters for everyone.
A Step Toward Supporting Women in Lahore
WorkPod’s CEO, Dr. Adnan Zahir, closed the event with a simple message: real progress against breast cancer happens when communities show up for each other.
Guests left with more than pink souvenirs; they left with practical knowledge to share with their families and friends, and a renewed sense that supporting women in Lahore starts with these everyday conversations.
Why WorkPod Keeps Showing Up for Women’s Health Awareness in Lahore
As a coworking space, we could easily stick to desks and Wi-Fi. But we believe women’s empowerment events in Lahore and health-focused community programming are just as much a part of building a strong workplace culture. Hosting this breast cancer awareness campaign in Lahore was our way of saying: health conversations belong here too.
Take the First Step Toward Early Detection
If this made you think about a screening you’ve been putting off, or a conversation you’ve been avoiding with your family, that’s the point. Early detection saves lives. Book the appointment. Do the self-exam. Start the conversation.
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Location
WorkPod
