A breast cancer awareness campaign by cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s non-profit, YouWeCan Foundation, has come under fire for using the term “oranges” to refer to breasts. The campaign intended to promote early detection of breast cancer, but its choice of words has sparked criticism.

One of the campaign’s ads, with the message “Check your oranges once a month,” features a young woman holding two oranges while standing on a bus. Meanwhile, several elderly women, including one with a crate of oranges, are seated around her. The ad was meant to encourage regular self-examinations, but many found it offensive and inappropriate.

Social media backlash

A social media user shared a picture of the ad, which was displayed inside a Delhi Metro coach, criticizing both YouWeCan and Delhi Metro for the ad’s poor imagery and word choice. The user, with the handle Confusedicius, wrote: “How will a country raise breast cancer awareness if we can’t even call breasts what they are. Saw this at Delhi Metro and like what the hell? Check your oranges? Who makes these campaigns, who approves them? Are we governed by such dumb people that they let this poster become public?”

Calls for removal

The user expressed disappointment with the ad, calling it “shameful and embarrassing.” They also tagged Yuvraj Singh, urging him to take down the campaign. Additionally, the user called out Delhi Metro officials, asking for the ad’s removal: “This advertisement is one of the most tone-deaf advertisements I have ever seen. Will you put up any advertisement if someone pays you? Please remove this.”

Further criticism

Another message from the same campaign, shared on Instagram, included phrases like “How well do you know your oranges?” and “Have you checked your oranges lately?” This, too, sparked a wave of disapproval. Dr. Pragathi Gurram, a cardiologist, voiced her concerns in the comments section, saying, “It’s hard to understand how we can genuinely raise awareness about something when we can’t even use the correct terminology. What kind of message are we sending? Who is approving these campaigns?”

Yuvraj Singh’s personal battle with cancer

Yuvraj Singh, who fought a rare form of lung cancer called mediastinal seminoma in 2011, is the founder of YouWeCan. He underwent several rounds of chemotherapy in the US and was finally discharged in March 2012, marking a victory in his fight against the disease. His personal journey has inspired the foundation’s mission, though this campaign has drawn unexpected criticism.

The campaign, though well-intended, has left many questioning the choice of messaging and its effectiveness in raising awareness about such a serious issue.