Yankang volunteers visit a new breast cancer patient, sharing their stories to provide encouragement.

The nation's first patients' club for women with breast cancer has celebrated its 20th anniversary.

It has called for a whole process management for patients as well as better communication between patients and medics, and between patients and patients.

The Yankang Salon at Shanghai Cancer Center was established in 2003, when a patient with breast cancer donated 1 million yuan (US$137,900) to the hospital to support its development and research to express her gratitude.

Since there was no hospital-based breast patient rehabilitation and management organization in the nation at that time, and many patients suffered physical and psychological pressure, Dr Shen Zhenzhou decided to set up the salon under the approval of the donor and hospital authority.

Doctors, nurses and patients are members of the Yankang Salon, which offers a communication platform, gives direction and helps patients, and allows patients to share stories and support each other.

An Internet version of Yankang was introduced in 2015, under the name of e-Yankang.

The platform has a personal database for each patient with online and offline consultation on rehabilitation as well as patient education. So far, there have been more than 1 million views on the platform, benefiting a wide range of patients.

"With medical development, breast cancer has become a preventable and treatable chronic disease," said Dr Shao Zhimin, director of Shanghai Cancer Center's breast surgery department. "The hospital has conducted over 8,100 breast cancer surgeries. The 10-year survival rate is 82.6 percent.

"How to make patients live longer and better is our aim. In addition to improved clinical effects, we call for a whole-life management and support for breast cancer patients to improve their rehabilitation and long-term life quality. The Yankang Salon is a critical driver."

Dr Shao Zhimin in breast cancer surgery

At present, there are 90,000 Yankang members. Medics offer lectures once a month, conduct breast cancer screening in local communities, provide charity consultations regularly and organize various patient activities.

Hu Zhichu, a Yankang member, had breast cancer surgery at Shanghai Cancer Center 16 years ago. She started to participate in Yankang activities during her treatment and said the members of the salon gave her strong support and help during that tough period.

"Now I am also a volunteer of Yankang to share my story and encourage other patients to conquer fear and cooperate with medics on treatment," Hu said. "In Yankang, others enlighten our life and then we pass the hope to enlighten others'."

Breast cancer, for which there are more than 400,000 new patients each year, is the top female cancer in China. Clinical recovery means a patient survives for more than five years.