The following applies to every type of cancer: the earlier it is recognized, the better the chances of recovery. Find out how visually impaired women support doctors in diagnosing breast cancer here.
- Early detection of breast cancer includes regular visits to a gynecologist.
- By scanning the breast, a doctor can recognize knots early on.
- The non-profit project "discovering hands" trains visually impaired women to become medical tactile examiners.
Whether friend or family member: Almost everyone knows someone who has breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the course of their life - extrapolated to around 70,000 women who develop breast cancer in Germany every year. Depending on when the cancer is diagnosed, affected women have very good chances of survival. The rule is: the earlier the cancer is recognized, the better.
That is why doctors and the Federal Ministry of Health recommend an annual breast examination at a gynecologist for women over 30 years of age. If you have a lot of cancer cases in the family, you should discuss this with the treating gynecologist. This will decide whether early medical screening tests make sense. This includes not only palpating the breast for possible lumps, but also instructions for self-examination. The "discovering hands" project is relatively new in the field of early breast cancer detection.
"discovering hands" trains visually impaired and blind women to become medical tactile examiners
"discovering hands" is a non-profit social enterprise that trains blind and visually impaired women to become medical tactile examiners (MTUs). Tactilography corresponds to a supplementary form of diagnosis in the early detection of breast cancer. For this purpose, "discovering hands" uses the pronounced sense of touch of visually impaired women, which is intended to improve the early detection of breast cancer in the long term . The project has already received numerous awards and is supported by many health insurance companies such as the AOK or SBK.
There are currently over 50 visually impaired MTUs examining women in medical practices and clinics. They feel 30 minutes (the examination can also take 60 minutes for larger breasts) while sitting and standing the thoracic tissue thoroughly . MTU uses patented special adhesive strips that are glued to the chest for orientation.
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Early breast cancer detection: Private health insurance companies and many statutory health insurance companies pay for tactilography through MTUs
As a rule, EUR 46.50 is charged for the examination - more in individual cases. However, the costs are covered by many statutory health insurers and by all private health insurance companies . On the website of the discovering hands initiative you will find practices and clinics that offer their patients tactilography for the early detection of breast cancer.
Sources : www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
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