Spreading ovarian health awareness
We want to understand the communities’ needs and deliver what is really essential and beneficial for our people. In this way we can do the best in Rotary,” says Shivaramakrishnan, president, RAC Kumaraguru College of Technology, RID 3201.
From our interactions with youngsters and even adult women, we realised that many of them had no knowledge about PCOD/PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Disease/Syndrome). Studies show that one in five women suffer from PCOS in India and public awareness about it is therefore essential,” he adds.
PCOD is a condition in which ovaries produce several immature or partially mature eggs. This happens due to poor lifestyle habits, obesity, stress and hormonal imbalance. ‘Polycystic’ means many cysts, and PCOS causes clusters of small, pearl-sized fluid-filled cysts in the ovaries. PCOD/PCOS can cause missed or irregular menstrual periods, excessive hair growth, acne, infertility, balding and weight gain. Women with this disorder may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and endometrial cancer.
The club devised a programme to create awareness among school children about the disorder. Dr Nithya, a gynaecologist and a PCOS expert, was signed up to give the first lecture on the topic at the Shri Nehru Vidyalaya School in Coimbatore for 250 students from Classes 9–12.
“The first step to managing PCOS is awareness. With a clean, plant-based diet and holistic lifestyle the condition can be managed. Symptoms such as irregular periods and pelvic pain are not something to be ignored and getting it checked is necessary. This was emphasised in the lecture,” says Shivaramakrishnan.
Carnival for slum children
The club members, along with Rotaractors of RACs Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Sankara College of Science and Commerce, recently visited Sathya Nagar, a slum on the suburbs of Coimbatore and organised a one-day carnival for the children. Games, entertainments, food and gifts formed part of the carnival. “It was a soul-satisfying day for all of us because the locality was a neglected one, and it lacked basic amenities such as water and electricity. There were just thatched huts all over the place. Despite this depressing scenario, it was so good to see the cheer in the children that day,” says the club president.
The club is planning another visit to the colony soon to provide essential items such as water bottle, dresses and footwear for the children.
The Rotaractors visited a government school in the town on Independence Day and distributed dictionaries to 135 students of Classes 4–8.
