Pan-UAE horseback ride to offer free breast cancer screening

Sharjah - The aim this year is to get 9,000 residents screened for breast cancer and promote early detection and self-examination.

The ninth edition of the Pink Caravan Ride, a nationwide breast cancer awareness campaign, took off from Sharjah on Saturday.
Launched by Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) in 2011, the initiative involves horseback riders, volunteers, mobile clinics and medical professionals travelling through all seven emirates within one week to reach some of the most popular and remote parts of the nation. They offer free breast cancer screenings and raise awareness among residents.
The aim this year is to get 9,000 residents screened for breast cancer and promote early detection and self-examination.
The launch took place at Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club, which was attended by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Among those present were officials from the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the UN, who also took part in a panel session.
Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, director-general of FoCP, told Khaleej Times: "It's been launched today with the blessing of the Ruler of Sharjah. Every year, we try to do something new because we always say that Pink Caravan is a community-based campaign that originated from the community to serve the community.
"This year, we've introduced the genetic testing, and I emphasise that it's for patients who are diagnosed with cancer. The oncologist will carry out genetic testing on the cancer cell to know what's the best protocol for that patient to be put on. This is an international trend, where they're doing lots of precision medicine and personalised medicine. We always want to take what's globally new and introduce it to the country."
A mini mobile clinic is also part of the caravan this year, which will provide convenience to residents who want to get checked. It has all of the necessary facilities for a proper check-up.
The chairman of the board of directors and founding member of FoCP, Sawsan Al Fahoum Jafar, said the Pink Caravan has come a long way since it was launched nearly a decade ago.
"When we started in 1999, we just invited women to some functions, where we had some screenings, entertainment, some clinics, awareness and education, in addition to a bazaar or fashion show that can attract more ladies," she told Khaleej Times.
"This is what we did in the first eight to nine years.
"We were getting the attendance but, then, we really wanted to reach out to more people. So, we started going to schools, colleges, malls, offices and universities, and we started getting invited by corporate entities, too. In the 10th year, we decided to start the Pink Caravan where we can reach all of the remote areas of the seven emirates."
Today, the caravan will take off from the Ajman Municipality for a 15.8km journey around the emirate.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

How Pink Caravan has helped save lives in UAE
The Pink Caravan campaign has helped save lives through the early detection of breast cancer.
Breast cancer survivor Nawal Mohammed, for example, was unaware that she had a relapse when she decided to go for a screening during the campaign's launch year.
Mohammed, now 74 years old, was first diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 58 and was living in her home country, Iraq.
"I was first diagnosed in 1999. I found a lump in my left breast and I went and got it checked. They told me that I had breast cancer. So, I had a sonography. After one week, I had an operation and they took the breast and lumps out. They didn't give me chemotherapy the first time. After the operation and some treatment, I was fine," she told Khaleej Times.
"In 2011, I heard about the Pink Caravan. I came to them, they did a check, and they said the right one had lumps. I had an operation, did chemotherapy, and other treatments. I was okay after that."
As a mother of three children and a grandmother of two, Mohammed said she stayed strong during both times she was suffering from the cancer.
Her family does not have a long history of breast cancer, however, one of her aunts had it.
"My family was shocked but I'm very strong and I didn't get scared," she said. "The caravan helped me because if there was no caravan, I wouldn't have thought about checking."
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Sharjah