After concluding a successful eighth edition of the Pink Caravan breast cancer awareness campaign across the seven emirates of the UAE last month, the non-profit organisation, Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP)has continued their mission to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment and palliative care of breast and cervical cancers, through wellness days they organised in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the month of April.

On April 19, the Pink Caravan Medical Wellness team parked their initiative in two locations in the UAE. At the Maryam BintOmran School in Abu Dhabi, approximately 150 attendees including students above 16 years, teachers and parents, underwent clinical examinations and witnessed several awareness talks given by cancer experts. The other location covered was the Dubai-based Medtronic Company, where around 25 attendees were given important insights on cancer awareness, importance of undergoing regular screenings and the role it plays in early detection, ways to self-examine oneself, the right kinds of treatment, and so on.

Dr.Sawsan Al Madhi, Director General of FOCP and head of PC Medical and Awareness Committee, said: “In the previous years, we organised wellness days in the month of October marking the international breast cancer awareness month. This year, we have taken our efforts a step further by staring as early as April in order to allow institutions and communities across the UAE ample time to book a wellness day session for their members, students or employees, aiming to reach out as many people in the UAE as possible.”

She added: “There are some risk factors that we can’t control such as being female or having a family history of breast or cervical cancer; however there are positive steps that we can take in our daily lives to help reduce the risk. Maintaining a healthy weight and staying fit are important factors in reducing your risk of developing these cancers. A wellness programme like the one we have been taking around the emirates is crucial as early detection is a person’s best chance of surviving a cancer diagnosis, especially when it is found in the breast.”

The Sharjah Real Estate Registration Directorate was seen participating in the wellness day on April 23, when around 40 attendees over the 20-year-old age group underwent specialised clinical examinations and listened in on expert awareness lectures given by cancer experts.

Al Madhi has urged more public and private institutions across sectors to join hands with the initiative and help FOCP and Pink Caravan in furthering their efforts to spread cancer awareness and succeed in building a healthy and informed society.

Both government and private sector organisations that support or employ women above the age of 16 years are eligible to book a Wellness Day. The Pink Caravan offices can be contacted at +971 6 506 5542 or: rawand@focp.ae.

Pink Caravan, the pan-UAE breast cancer awareness initiative by the Friends of Cancer Patients charity (FOCP), which was launched in 2011 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Founder and Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FOCP), International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC.