Pennalam, a women-focussed cancer screening initiative operating under the Sri Dhanvantri Trust, has had its mobile screening buses traversing the city since 2013, offering breast and cervical cancer screening through a decentralised, community-oriented model.
Pennalam traces its origins to 2009, when its founder, Radhika Santhanakrishnan, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her experience during treatment exposed a persistent barrier that extended beyond infrastructure. “I realised that fear and lack of information were preventing women from even considering screening,” she says.
Early efforts centred on a clinic in Mandaveli and a series of awareness programmes. Participation, however, remained limited. The recalibration was decisive. “Instead of waiting for people to come to us, we decided to go to the people,” Radhika explains.
That shift materialised in 2013 with the launch of Pennalam’s first mobile screening bus, developed aft
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