Friends of Cancer Patients launches ‘Breaking the Silence’ campaign

Friends of Cancer Patients launches 

‘Breaking the Silence’ campaign

Charitable society takes metastatic breast cancer patients into its fold

For immediate release

25 June 13

After successful pan-UAE campaigns for awareness on early detectable cancers, the Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) charitable society is expanding its fold to include metastatic breast cancer patients – a stigmatised and often forgotten segment of community, usually living with advanced stages of cancer – through its nationwide campaign titled ‘Breaking the Silence’, launched under the Pink Caravan breast cancer initiative.

Beginning with three key medical institutes across the UAE, the campaign aims to empower metastatic patients to lead full lives and mould public opinion about those touched by the disease.

The events are being hosted at University Hospital Sharjah at 11 am on 27th June, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, at 12 pm on 30th  June and, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, at 11am  on 2nd July, and will see a rallying of metastatic patients, physicians, social workers, nurses, and the media.

  Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, Secretary General for Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) charitable   society, said,

“The FoCP has launched ‘Breaking the Silence’ as a metastatic breast cancer-focused pan-UAE campaign under its Pink Caravan breast cancer awareness initiative to highlight the plight of metastatic cancer patients in the community. These patients form a segment of the society that is most often sidelined from the mainstream activities of daily life, making it much harder for them to access employment opportunities, continue studies, or lead healthy social lives due to the stigma associated with cancer.”

She went on to say, “The Friends of Cancer Patients and Pink Caravan, due to its collaboration and representation at international platforms, realised early on the need to create a platform for advanced or metastatic breast cancer patients and therefore ‘Breaking the Silence’ is being launched. The Friends of Cancer Patients, since its inception in 1999, has been supporting cancer patients and their families financially as well as emotionally, and to date has helped more than 900 patients in their challenge. Now, expanding on its past experiences, FoCP is planning to take metastatic cancer patients into its fold, and encourage, motivate and empower them to live life to the fullest.”

“Our primary goal is to educate the public and media and through that, create widespread awareness about metastatic cancer  –  a stage of the disease where cancer cells have spread to other areas and is no longer localised– and encourage social acceptance for these patients. We look forward to a long and successful journey.”

Dr Mohammad Jaloudi, Head of Oncology and Haematology Department at Tawam Hospital, said, “The importance of creating awareness about metastatic cancer patients cannot be stressed enough. Although, early detection and awareness programmes have done a great deal for patients in their early stages of cancer, metastatic cancer patients are more often sidelined, as they are considered to be in the final stages of their life. This is not true. What people usually don’t realise is that metastatic patients can live full lives for a long time, sometimes for years, with the help of new medical therapies and as such need to be taken back into the folds of society.”

The three events have been organised in partnership with Novartis – a pharmaceutical company known for investing in innovative research for marginalised diseases.

About Friends of Cancer Patients

The Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) is a UAE based charitable society providing its services across the United Arab Emirates to all residents of the country.

FoCP was established in late 1999 in accordance with the directives and under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed AI Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Founder and royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients charitable society. (FoCP).

Being the leading cancer specific charity operating in the UAE, FoCP, an NGO and registered charity, has since its inception continuously delivered moral, financial, and clinical support to over 900 patients and their families, regardless of their nationality, gender, age, religion, or ethnicity. The primary focus is on promoting awareness around early detectable cancers within the UAE community. FoCP has also initiated numerous leading cancer focused awareness programmes targeting the community, which have become recognised locally, regionally, and internationally.

FoCP is committed to helping cancer patients and their families get through the long and arduous journey of cancer treatment. Their motto is "We're with you". FoCP provides a broad spectrum of support including, covering treatment expenses for chemotherapy, radiation and other needed medications, in addition to expenses for investigative and surgical procedures. They also provide transportation and food allowances for underprivileged cancer patients, facilitate in sending patients abroad for treatment, provide prosthetic limbs, medical equipment, psychological and moral support for patients and their families.

FoCP’s volunteer team consists of businessmen and women, doctors, nurses, students, and the families of patients from various nationalities who have undertaken the responsibility of helping and supporting cancer patients.  FoCP is constantly raising the bar and setting new targets to expand on its achievements to date and empower the community to change the cultural and social stigma associated with cancer.

FoCP is a member and affiliate of a number of different organisations including, the Kuwait-based Gulf Federation for Cancer Control, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) based in Geneva Switzerland, and the US-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research which is supported by the US Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). FoCP has garnered widespread recognition and awards from numerous leading institutions, locally, regionally, and internationally for FoCP leading role in helping cancer patients and creating awareness about the disease.