Breast Health Program, as an area of future development was identified in 1999, and one faculty member of the department (Dr Gaurav Agarwal) was entrusted the task of developing breast health related activities, which was also documented in the department’s and institute’s “vision for the new millennium” documents. In Sept 2001, the department of Endocrine & Breast Surgery created the “SGPGI Breast Health Program” as a focused initiative to bring all areas of breast health care, teaching and training under its umbrella. This was done following a series of in-house meetings and brain storming sessions, the department resolved to have a more pro-active role in formulating breast cancer care protocols, and ensuring appropriate comprehensive breast cancer care delivery at SGPGI. At this time, the department’s comprehensive breast cancer care program was launched, with the aim of providing evidence based appropriate diagnostic, surgical, and adjuvant (chemotherapy, hormone and targeted biological) therapy services, in close collaboration with the departments of Radio-therapy, Radio-diagnosis, Nuclear Medicine and Pathology. Meanwhile, residents’ teaching and training activities, as well as research activities in various aspects of breast health were continually pursued- which resulted in many department faculty members undertaking research grants and projects, and publishing and presenting clinical and basic research papers at various fora. The community activities also continued with a large number of breast cancer awareness and screening campaigns, and camps being organized, targeting and reaching out to large number of women from all walks of life.
“SGPGI Breast Health Program” as a formal organization was launched in March 2005, coinciding with the inauguration of the first SGPGI Breast Course, and launch of the health portal www.sgpgibreasthealth.org.in, with the Director and Dean SGPGI as patrons and all faculty members of the department as functionaries. Dr Gaurav Agarwal as departmental nodal officer took on the mantle of Convener of this ambitious project.