IndiaRaising India’s Screening Education (RISE)

Facts & figures

• Region:Asia
• Field of action:DearYou (former DearMamma)
• Engaged since:2025
• Partner Organisation:Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Mumbai
• Beneficiaries:7,500 nurses trained; women reached through nurse-led education

Too many women die from breast cancer because they do not recognize the signs and symptoms or receive a timely diagnosis. In alignment with Pillars 1 and 2 of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, RISE trains nurses to educate women, recognize possible warning signs and support timely referral. The DearYou women’s health app reinforces this training and provides reliable information that nurses can share with patients and the broader community.

Goal:

Support earlier detection of breast cancer by strengthening healthcare workers’ understanding of screening and referral and training them to use the DearYou app to raise awareness of signs and symptoms among patients and the broader community.

Objectives:

1. Strengthen screening and referral: Train nurses and community health workers to understand breast cancer screening, recognize possible signs and symptoms, educate women and support timely referral for appropriate diagnosis and care.
2. Increase breast health awareness: Use community education, the DearYou app and trusted health information to help women recognize possible signs and symptoms, understand their personal risk and seek medical advice promptly.
3. Expand reach through partnerships: Work with government bodies, healthcare institutions, universities, community organizations and the media to share consistent information and reach more women in urban and rural communities.

Description:

The DEAR Foundation Switzerland launched the RISE initiative in collaboration with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research and Dr. Jyoti Patel. The initiative began with a train-the-trainer workshop in Mumbai in late 2025, which prepared 80 nurses to serve as trainers. Under Dr. Patel’s leadership, these trainers have helped expand the program across Maharashtra. By September 2026, RISE had trained 7,500 nurses to strengthen their understanding of breast cancer screening, recognize possible signs and symptoms, and share this knowledge with other nurses and women in their communities.

Dr. Patel is Head Nurse at Tata Memorial Hospital. Outside her regular working hours, she volunteers her time to champion the RISE initiative and support its continued growth. The program was informed by her 2022 study of novice nurses at a tertiary cancer centre in Mumbai. The study found that their knowledge of breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography was moderate. It highlighted the need for further breast cancer education through induction programs, continuing nursing education and workshops.

The RISE initiative equips nurses to serve as trusted sources of health information, greatly extending the program’s reach. This train-the-trainer approach provides a sustainable model for reaching women across Maharashtra, with the long-term goal of expanding throughout India. By helping more women recognize possible signs of breast cancer, the program encourages them to seek medical advice earlier, when treatment outcomes are often better.