Chennai: To support breast cancer survivors, Akhila Malayalee Mahila Association and Madras Kerala Samaj Women’s Wing, in collaboration with Saaisha India Association, held an awareness programme on Sunday. The event introduced breast prostheses and shared recovery options for post-mastectomy care.As part of the drive, organizers announced a one-day workshop to make knitted knockers soft, handmade breast prostheses made using mercerized cotton yarn. These will be donated to Adyar Cancer Institute.“Many survivors resort to handkerchiefs or towels as makeshift prostheses, which adds to their emotional discomfort. Knitted knockers offer a gentler, more comfortable alternative. They can be worn inside regular bras and are less cumbersome than silicone options,” said Srividhya Gopinath, director of outreach at Saaisha India Foundation.Over the past seven years, 23,561 such knockers have been distributed free across India, with many survivors themselves volunteering to make them. The initiative partners with govt and private hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Govt General Hospital, Stanley Hospital, and Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.Doctors stressed the importance of breast self-examination and mammograms for women over 40. “Many remain unaware of the risks. Programmes like this help promote early detection,” said a representative of the Mahila Association. Medical experts urged participants to report symptoms without delay and highlighted that early detection can push the chances of a cure to as high as 95%. Mammograms, they added, should begin at age 40 and be repeated every two to three years for timely treatment.