Cancer appears when changes called mutations take place in genes that control cell growth. The mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an unrestrained way.
Breast cancer is cancer that grows in breast cells. Normally, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast.
Lobules are the glands that create milk, and ducts trails that milk from the glands to the nipple. Cancer can also happen in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within your breast.
The uncontrolled cancer cells often attack other healthy breast tissue and can move to the lymph nodes under the arms. The lymph nodes are a main pathway that assist the cancer cells travel to other parts of the body.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
In its initial stages, breast cancer may not show any symptoms. In many cases, a lump may be too small to be felt, but an irregularity can still be seen on a mammogram.
If a tumour can be felt, the first sign is usually a new lump in the breast that was not there before. However, not all lumps are cancerous.
Each type of breast cancer can cause a diversity of symptoms. Many of these symptoms are alike, but some can be unusual. Symptoms for the most common breast cancers include:
a breast lump or tissue thickening that feels different than surrounding tissue and has developed recently
breast pain
red, pitted skin over your entire breast
swelling in all or part of your breast
a nipple discharge other than breast milk
bloody discharge from your nipple
peeling, scaling, or flaking of skin on your nipple or breast
a sudden, unexplained change in the shape or size of your breast
inverted nipple
changes to the appearance of the skin on your breasts
a lump or swelling under your arm
If you have any of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer. For instance, aching in your breast or a breast lump can be caused by a benign cyst also.
Still, if you find a lump in your breast or have other symptoms, you should see your doctor for further examination and testing.
RISK FACTORS:
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
Age. Your risk for developing breast cancer increases as you age.
Drinking alcohol. It raises your risk to develop the disease.
Having dense breast tissue.
Genes. Women who have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are more likely to develop breast cancer than women who don’t. Other gene mutations may also affect your risk.
Early menstruation. If you had your first period before age 12 years, you have an increased risk for breast cancer.
Giving birth at an older age. Women have their first child after age 35 years have an increased risk for breast cancer.
BREAST CANCER PREVENTION:
Lifestyle factors: For instance, women who have obesity have a higher risk for developing breast cancer. Maintaining a nutrient-dense diet and getting regular exercise as often as possible could help you lose weight and lower your risk. Alcohol misuse also increases your risk
It is the process of empowering women and understanding their points of view. It is simply accepting that women are capable of anything and they have the potential to decide and debate on an issue. Women’s literacy rates are nowadays started increasing. Earlier women were not sent to studies and got married at a young age. Nowadays the view is changing. They are getting the right education and many organization, government schemes are there for women. Even banks are supporting women and giving loans for their further education in studies.
Amazon provides a big help to achieve women and they are doing their online business through this platform. I would like to share a story which I read a few years back. One woman got married at a young age but she had dreams to study further but due to her family condition she accepted her fate and got married. But her luck came in the form of her husband. He let her pursue her dreams and helped her in joining college. She completed her studies and later started her online business on handbags. Her handbags grew very fast and now she is earning several lakhs in a month. Education, boldness, audacity are important for women. Our society should change its view on educating a girl child and let them study further without getting married.
Not only this apps like Meesho are helping many women to start an online business without any investment. There are lots of success stories on their website. Many women are earning more than 25,000 per month at the comfort of their homes by taking care of their families. We should change this view. Women should only support and not work. This thing should be changed. Men and their families should also help women in succeeding in their life and give them equal rights.
We can do some things from our side as well. We can sponsor a girl child’s education. This small step will further turn into a giant leap. We should create awareness and campaigns on why women’s empowerment is important. Women’s decisions will never fail. They have a higher capacity than men and can succeed well in their life.
Nowadays many women are leaving their high-paying jobs and joining the army. We should definitely salute these people. They are the real heroes of our life. They should be given equal rights. We should encourage girls who are willing to join the army instead of not letting them pursue their dreams.
We should not simply celebrate women’s day by sharing women’s day quotes on WhatsApp group. But also take some steps in making them come true. We should give 50% allotment to women on every job that is provided for men.
Nowadays many women are delivering food, driving auto. They are so brave and taking up this job by knowing its risks. Women are also driving metro trains and many have become successful pilots.
Take a look at Forbes magazine to know the top 10 women entrepreneurs and their success stories. It will give you the much-needed motivation. Nobody could’ve started their business with a good amount of money. They too could’ve suffered in their initial days and that made them achieve their goals.
When we are in a relationship, we should keep our happiness in our minds. Are we really happy in this relationship? If this doubt arises in your mind, then there are chances that you are in a wrong relationship. Make sure the relationship is healthy both mentally and physically. Some people are afraid of relationships and those who have gone into a terrible experience are afraid of committing themselves to another relationship. In that case, they should introspect so that they will get to know about themselves. Try to speak up with your dear ones and ask for advice from them. Try to speak with elders and get to know the things they did in their relationships.
Try to have some time for yourself. Don’t do things just for the sake of your partner. It will affect your mental health. If you are sacrificing something for him for example the foods you love, crafts you do, and abandoning your friends. Then that is not the place for you. Try to move on from that life. The earlier you do the good it will be for both of you.
There are also some women who want to meet their partner 24 hours a day and want to know his activities throughout the day. Stop doing this. Some might do this because of a lack of work. Try to indulge yourself in some activities. Give him some space to breathe. Always make some time for yourself and in that time focus on things you love and forget about the world.
You should be connected with him physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you fail to do one of the things then there are chances that the relationship won’t last long. Connecting with that person doesn’t mean that only when they are in front of you. Even though they are away from you you should connect with him.
When you are in a relationship don’t forget to take care of yourselves. Eat properly and make sure you are drinking a good amount of water. Often women in relationships forget to take care of themselves. The person we should love first is us. So taking care of your health should be your topmost priority.
If you think he is not giving good respect to you then speak with him and make him understand the issues faced by you. Solve the issue mutually without taking it to a third partner. Make some time for your partner by planning something on weekends by throwing parties or surprising him by cooking or booking a candlelight dinner in a restaurant.
If you are feeling you are not happy in that relationship talk to him and make him understand. Don’t be afraid to express your views and also don’t get depressed about being alone. Being alone helps you to figure out your problems. If you are not sure about leaving the relationship right away give some time. Time is the biggest medicine and it can heal all problems. Think about your life how it was before he came into your life and what are all the good things you did in your life.
And in the end, accept him for what he is. don’t try to force your thoughts on him. don’t be so stubborn to get things done. Always try to see things from his perspective.
In today’s competitive world educating a girl child should be our topmost priority. Girls can handle the tasks well in a calm manner and can come up with well-defined solutions. Educating a girl child will have a huge impact on society and the environment. There are lots of NGOs supporting in educating the girl child. It will help her in the future because women cannot depend on her man all the time. It will be bad for her self-respect. Having a job helps her to speak and make her own decisions in front of her family members.
In India, many girl children are getting married at a young age and working as slaves for their husband and his family. She is overworking, producing children without her consent, and working as a slave to her in-laws. All these things happened because she is not educated enough to stand on her own and to give her points and decisions for herself.
There are lots of advantages of educating a girl child. Educated girls come up with better solutions. If they get educated they can lead a healthy lifestyle. They are now looked at with dignity, honor, and self-respect in our society. Now many governments and non-government organizations are providing funds for educating the girl child. Educated women are so bold and they won’t afraid to speak their views in front of others.
Nowadays, there are separate internships for women. When women are applying for an internship in Internshala they can apply filters for Internships for women. It is an added advantage for women to find the right position and job. Girls play multiple roles in our life. Educating them increases the chances of helping our society.
The main view of Indian parents is once a girl child is born they should be raised and once they reach their minimum age they should be married and sent off to another house where they have to take care of that family. This view should be changed because girls should also be considered as legal heirs of the family. Nowadays many boys are disowning their parents and sending them to old-age homes. But girls are taking care of their parents even after getting married. There are many girls in our society who left their marriages to take care of their parents. If parents think girl child will be of no use in future then they are the perfect cowards to our society.
There is a famous quote that is Once a woman went for a date with men and the men rejected her because she is not gorgeous enough to date with. Later after some time, the girl rejected him for not studied well enough. See education has made her take the right decision and helped her to teach a good lesson to him.
Many people think women are just produced to cook, take care of household activities. But they too have feelings and have the right to achieve their dreams. Everybody has dreams and we should support them to achieve them, not disown them. We as young generations should change the views of society. Make women achieve their dreams and come up with flying colors.
If she is educated she can help her husband financially in the future if any need arises. If her husband dies, then she has to take care of that family. She can do this only if she is educated well enough. Otherwise all she is left with is to do some odd jobs.
“I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa’s doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them.”
“The Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, a 19th century play, strongly stamps the rights of women into the minds of the readers. It explores what roles women are forced to play and how they lose themselves by doing so. Now, the ‘Doll’ in the title will make us think about what its role is and how it is connected to the play. A doll is made to look pretty, made to entertain others, and to be toyed by its owner. Similarly, women are also expected to look pretty, please men and are directed to play the roles given. This is how women were treated and are even now.
This play explores these intricacies in the lives of women. Nora is the doll in the play and her house the playhouse. Nora is also an embodiment of the entire women folk in general. The plot is set during Christmas, and so we can see Nora busy with her Christmas preparation in the first act. She is happy to hear of her husband’s promotion and also expects greater happiness because of it. She is visited by Mrs. Linde, who is an old friend of hers, and has come to seek her husband’s help in finding a job. Afterwards, she is also visited by Krogstad from whom she had leant money in the past. He blackmails her of revealing a forgery done by her in borrowing money. She has forged her father’s signature to get money. Krogstad tells her to get him a job in the bank from her husband.
Through the series of dialogues in the first act, we see how her husband, Torvald pets her and objectifies her. Instead of calling by her name, he uses ‘little squirrel’, ‘little lark’, ‘little skylark’ and so. By using such words, he objectifies her and diminishes her being. The adjective ‘little’ shows how he considers her lower than him and how he always treats her like a child. In fact, everyone in the play treats her like a child.
When Nora reveals to her friend, Mrs. Linde, that she has borrowed a huge sum to save her husband’s life, Mrs. Linde is shocked by it.
“NORA.
Couldn’t I? Why not?
MRS LINDE.
No, a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent.”
This shows that women of that period weren’t allowed to concern themselves with financial matters. We can even see that for a woman to borrow money, she needs a consent of a man and his sign. This is why Nora forged her father’s signature to borrow money. Nora also adds that she wouldn’t let her husband know about it because it would hurt his pride. Torvald never considers Nora as his equal and seems that being helped by women would make him look weak. This is a conventional thought which needs to be broken.
“A man who has such strong opinions about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! “
In the second act, things speed up and we see Nora anxiously awaiting what would happen after the revelation. She mentally prepares herself to face the consequences and strongly believes her husband will take the blame all upon himself. This will be proved wrong later.
NORA.
Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do what she wants.
HELMER.
Speak plainly.
NORA.
Your skylark would chirp about in every room, with her song rising and falling –
HELMER.
Well, my skylark does that anyhow.
These lines show how Nora is always expected to please her husband. Torvad also likes to show off her to others and is proud of ‘owning’ her. A woman is a human and an individual and no mere object to own or show off. Thus the playwright brings out the toxic habit of objectification.
It is also seen that Nora never has an identity of her own. She is referred to as the daughter of her father and wife of Torvald. The society seems to repress her individuality by adding surnames to her. The play progresses to show how Nora sets out to find herself and her identity as an individual.
HELMER.
There, you see it was quite right of me not to let you stay there any longer.
NORA.
Everything you do is quite right, Torvald.
It can also be seen that Nora is never to have her own thoughts and to do what she likes. Her freedom as an individual is thus constrained by her husband. Her husband controls her, her actions, thoughts and directs her on what she has to do. And when the truth of her debt and forgery is revealed, he blames her and throws her under the bus. He is more worried about how his reputation in the society will be tarnished on the revelation of her actions. He is self-conceited and doesn’t bother to listen to Nora.
HELMER.
[walking about the room]. What a horrible awakening! All these eight years—she who was my joy and pride—a hypocrite, a liar—worse, worse—a criminal! The unutterable ugliness of it all!—For shame! For shame! [NORA is silent and looks steadily at him. He stops in front of her.] I ought to have suspected that something of the sort would happen. I ought to have foreseen it. …. Now you have destroyed all my happiness. You have ruined all my future. It is horrible to think of!
This is an awakening to Nora. Nora borrowed money in order to save her husband, but her husband completely ignores that fact. And when Krogstad sends a mail to them telling that he won’t reveal anything to the world, her husband immediately changes his colours and tells her that he had ‘forgiven’ her.
All these makes Nora realize what kind of life she was leading. She has an honest talk with her husband for the first time in eight years since they have married. She tells him that he had never considered her as an individual with feelings but a merely pleasing doll.
“You have never loved me. You have only thought it pleasant to be in love with me.”
She says that she was a mere doll passed down from her father to him. She was never to have her opinions with her father and so the same with her husband too. All her life she was treated like a doll and now she has also become to treat her own children like that. Here I quote the lines told in the beginning again.
She breaks up her marriage and sets herself free from everything that restrains her from being an individual. Before everything, she owes a duty to herself which she had not been concerned about before. She is going to educate herself and find herself.
HELMER.
Before all else, you are a wife and a mother.
NORA.
I don’t believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are—or, at all events, that I must try and become one.
The realization that she had never lived her life as an individual and that she had always been objectified transforms her. She slams the door of her house and sets out.
“I was your little skylark, your doll, which you would in future treat with doubly gentle care, because it was so brittle and fragile. [Getting up.] Torvald—it was then it dawned upon me that for eight years I had been living here with a strange man, and had borne him three children—. Oh, I can’t bear to think of it! I could tear myself into little bits!”
Every woman like Nora should liberate themselves from their constraints. The entire play takes place inside the house and it shows how Nora and women are confined to four walls. Nora finally escapes her confinement and liberates into the real world.
[The sound of a door shutting is heard from below.]
Thus this play motivates every woman to find her way out of the door and slam it. This is a realistic play even applicable for the 21st century.
Track2Training 
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