Hyderabad, 20th Oct 2023 — Aiming to encourage awareness on early detection of breast cancer through self-breast examination, American Oncology Institute (AOI) one of South Asia's largest cancer chain hospitals has introduced its extended breast cancer awareness initiative, "Pass The QR Code." The campaign follows the illustrious “The Pink Ribbon Collection” campaign launched in 2022, which aimed to remind and educate women of the 6-step self-breast examination practice while making it a daily care ritual.  

Continuing the awareness streak, “Pass the QR Code” aims to lead you to educate and share the importance of self-breast examination with your loved ones while highlighting the importance of early detection and its significance in preserving their health. The nationwide campaign's core concept is to "Pass The QR Code" as a symbol of empathy and care from one person to another.  

Tina Choudhury, Campaign Brand Lead, CTSI stated, " Breast cancer is a battle that we can win through early detection. With this principle in mind, we launched the 'The Pink Ribbon Collection' campaign in 2022. In a significant achievement, this thought-provoking campaign received five prestigious accolades at the ABBY One Show Awards 2023. It surpassed our expectations, garnering broad recognition for its profound impact of touching millions of lives. Subsequently, we expanded its scope with 'Pass The QR Code' to encourage individuals to share this heartfelt reminder with their loved ones, reinforcing the importance of routine self-breast examinations and the potential to save lives. We urge everyone to embrace this initiative as an emblem of empathy and care, seamlessly integrating it into their daily lives.” 

The ABBY One Show Awards accolade acknowledges AOI’s innovation in promoting social awareness of early cancer detection. It also celebrates their commitment to creating a world without the fear of cancer. With a remarkable 62 million media impressions, AOI’s innovation has struck a compelling chord with an extensive audience. Through a series of thought-provoking conversations, the campaign effectively engaged over 3.2 million people on social media and reached audiences in 16 cities. 

In addition to its awareness initiatives, AOI has organized educational programs at various schools, and institutes along with a session on All India Radio in Imphal. AOI in Jammu held cancer screening and awareness camps at BSF Frontier Hospital, involving participants from the BSF Wives Association and BSF personnel. AOI in Gurugram conducted awareness talks at senior secondary government schools. Units in Punjab are actively organizing health and awareness sessions in various educational institutions. The “Pass The QR Code” digital campaign is live across AOI’s social media channels, and it has been extended to over 10 states through outdoor and in-house advertising. QR codes provided in all ATL and BTL materials link to AOI’s YouTube channel, offering a 6-step guide for breast self-examination. 

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent malignancy among women globally. It has now surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of global cancer incidence in 2020, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases, representing 11.7% of all cancer cases. Early detection can make all the difference, and self-breast examination is crucial in this process. Through "passing the QR Code", AOI aims to create a ripple effect, making self-breast examinations a routine part of everyone’s life. This awareness campaign further aligns with the central campaign idea i.e., #AOICancercare and #Wejourneywithyou.