Ahead of the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is observed annually in October, the UAE-based non-profit Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP)’s early detection initiative, Pink Caravan, is calling on private sector organisations across the country to sign up for their ‘Corporate Wellness Day’ drive to educate their employees about the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

This monthlong campaign starting October 1, 2020, will feature four different packages comprising latest medical tests, breast screenings, awareness lectures and expert medical consultations, each tailored to the needs of every corporate signee.

The Corporate Wellness Day package includes clinical examination of up to 40 women, a 30-minute awareness lecture and a free mammogram voucher for all the participants. Other packages include a Medical Mobile Vanvisit to the entity’s office which will offer screenings including mammogram for breast cancer for up to 40 women. Pap smear and ultrasound tests will be provided on request. The Mini Mobile Clinic package will include clinical examinations, awareness lecture and free mammogram vouchers. The Awareness Session package, which is offered onsite as well as online, includes a self-examination workshop, awareness lecture for women and men and free awareness brochures.

All activities will follow strict health and safety guidelines to ensure the safety of the participants.

Calling on every private organisation in the UAE to come forward and sign up for Pink Caravan’s Awareness Day programmes, Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, Director General of FOCP and Head of the PCR Medical and Awareness Committee,  said: “Over the last 10 years of the Pink Caravan Ride’s campaign, which emphasises early detection of breast cancer through integrated awareness education and screening interventions, has shown very encouraging results. We believe that early detection and improving risk factor awareness are imperative to saving lives. We urge UAE organisations to utilise this opportunity to get their staff tested through our various programmes designed especially for corporate entities. As the safety of patients and Pink Caravan’s medical team is a top priority for FOCP, increased safety guidelines have been designed for every package, in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

214 women tested at Pink Caravan Mobile Clinic

Meanwhile, the Pink Caravan Mobile Medical Clinic, located at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, recently conducted follow-up tests on 214women who had previously undergone mammogram screenings at the Pink Caravan Medical Mobile Clinic in 2018.

The UAE’s National Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis recommends every woman between the ages of 40 and 69 years to undergo a mammography every two years.

The Pink Caravan Mobile Medical Clinic resumed operations for the follow-up tests following a four-month shutdown of the clinic in the wake of the restrictions imposed by the outbreak of COVID-19. It followed the mandatory health safety guidelines in place in the UAE to keep the patients safe by reducing interaction and cleaning and sterilising all diagnostic machines after each patient visit.

Till date, Pink Caravan clinics have offered free early-detection screenings to over 75,089 people of different nationalities and ages, including around 13,658 male residents across the UAE.

Pink Caravan is now accepting booking requests for wellness days and online awareness sessions for the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. To avail a session, please contact 065065542 – rawand@focp.ae.

To know more about FOCP’s leading campaigns, awareness programmes and beneficiary initiatives, please visit www.focp.ae.