Blue Cross launches awareness drive to treat menstrual pain as a medical issue, not a lifestyle choice

BlueCross Laboratories has released a fully AI-generated video to coincide with National Girl Child Day, drawing attention to dysmenorrhea and its impact on girls and women in India. Titled “The Championship Match She Almost Missed,” the film forms part of the company’s ongoing #StopThePeriodPain initiative and aims to reposition period pain as a medical condition rather than a lifestyle issue.

Conceptualised and produced by C Com Digital, the video presents the story of a young athlete named “Anjali Shivgan,” a character designed to reflect the experiences of many girls whose education, sports participation, and ambitions are disrupted by untreated menstrual pain. The narrative focuses on everyday athletes instead of well-known personalities to emphasise the widespread and underrepresented nature of the issue.

According to BlueCross Laboratories, dysmenorrhea affects nearly 80% of Indian girls and women, making it the most common gynaecological condition in the country. Despite its prevalence, period pain is often dismissed as routine rather than treated as a health concern. This has resulted in school absenteeism, workplace disruption, and delayed diagnosis of underlying conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and uterine fibroids.

Mr Panchanan Routray, Senior Marketing Director at BlueCross Laboratories

Mr Panchanan Routray, Senior Marketing Director at BlueCross Laboratories, said the campaign was inspired by public conversations initiated by sports personalities but sought to shift focus to everyday girls. He noted that in neighbourhoods and local sports grounds across India, many young women face limitations on their academic and athletic potential due to untreated pain that has been socially normalised.

Dr Prabhu Kasture, Director of Medical Services and Pharmacovigilance at BlueCross Laboratories, stated that dysmenorrhea’s impact extends beyond discomfort. He highlighted that persistent pain can signal underlying medical conditions and that delayed treatment contributes to long-term health consequences and reduced quality of life.

The campaign was released around National Girl Child Day on January 24, which is dedicated to promoting awareness of girls’ rights, health, education, and nutrition. The AI-based storytelling approach is intended to support discussions around menstrual health while reducing stigma associated with seeking treatment.

Chandan Bagwe, Founder and Director of C Com Digital

Chandan Bagwe, Founder and Director of C Com Digital, said the project demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be used to address social and health issues through relatable narratives. He added that the film portrays a recurring reality faced by many young athletes who are forced to choose between physical pain and participation in school or sports activities.

The #StopThePeriodPain campaign differs from conventional menstrual awareness efforts by centring on pain management rather than hygiene alone. It seeks to encourage medical consultation for severe symptoms and challenge the idea that discomfort is inevitable. The initiative is supported by a dedicated information platform, www.painfulperiods.in, which provides expert insights, scientific explanations, and shared experiences related to menstrual pain.

The latest campaign marks an extension of this outreach strategy through digital storytelling and multilingual influencer engagement across 12 regional languages. By using a non-celebrity protagonist, the initiative aims to ensure wider representation and reinforce that menstrual pain deserves clinical attention and informed dialogue.

Campaign link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16dUbsfH9VoW4IrwgcKC0jy5IwPhFCB5c?usp=sharing