Pink Caravan, the Pan UAE breast cancer awareness initiative by the Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FoCP), has announced change in the dates of its annual Pink Caravan Ride. The Ride, previously scheduled in February will now take place from April 5-15. This change comes as a response to the increasing public demand for a longer operation period for Pink Caravan's mobile medical clinics that operate in the various parts of the U.A.E.
كشفت القافلة الوردية المبادرة المتخصصة في مجال التوعية بمرض سرطان الثدي والتي أطلقتها جمعية أصدقاء مرضى السرطان عن تغيير موعد المسيرة السنوية لفرسان القافلة الوردية التي كان من المقرر انطلاقها خلال الفترة من 15 حتى 25 فبراير الجاري إلى الفترة من 5 حتى 15 أبريل القادم وذلك تلبية للطلبات المتزايدة على تمديد فترة عمل العيادات الطبية المتنقلة التي تنشط في مختلف أنحاء الإمارات.
Pink Caravan's high steering committee announced that according to the new time frame, mobile medical clinics will operate for eight weeks instead of just two, availing their free medical check-ups and breast cancer screening services to more U.A.E. residents, and enhancing the campaign's outreach.
وأعلنت اللجنة العليا للقافلة الوردية عن أنه وفقا للجدول الزمني الجديد لمسيرة الفرسان سيتم زيادة فترة عمل العيادات المتنقلة لتصل إلى ثمانية أسابيع بدلاً من أسبوعين وذلك لإتاحة الفرصة أمام عدد أكبر من المقيمين في الدولة للاستفادة من الكشف المبكر عن سرطان الثدي والمشاركة في برامج التوعية التي تقدمها الحملة.
Mobile medical units will tour the seven emirates in the period between February 15 to April 15, expanding the Ride's outreach, and availing more time for Pink Caravan's medical teams to provide more checkups. This change in the time frame is expected to enhance public reception and encourage more people to seek the Caravan's services and awareness programs, as well as allow more volunteers and riders to take part in the breast cancer awareness and free early medical screening campaign for all people in UAE.
وستجوب العيادات المتنقلة كافة إمارات الدولة خلال الفترة من 15 فبراير الجاري حتى 15 أبريل القادم لمنح الطواقم الطبية الفرصة للإنتهاء من الفحوصات وتوعية مزيد من أفراد المجتمع بضرورة الكشف المبكر والفحص الذاتي لسرطان الثدي.
وسيسهم تمديد فترة عمل القافلة في زيادة الإقبال على خدماتها وبرامجها التوعوية إلى جانب إنضمام مزيد من المتطوعين والفرسان إلى مسيرتها السنوية الرامية الى زيادة التوعية وتوفير الكشف المبكر المجاني لسكان الإمارات العربية المتحدة.
Commenting on this, Ameera Binkaram, President of the Board of Trustees and a founding member of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society said: "This change in dates comes to accommodate the increasing public demand for screening services, which Pink Caravan provides to wide sectors of the UAE society. The new dates would avail the services to more families and individuals across the country, and expand the campaign's outreach. We expect great reception for our services, as we have a better chance to introduce The Pink Caravan to a wider audience base before concluding the ride on 15 April.
وقالت أميرة بن كرم رئيسة مجلس الأمناء والعضو المؤسس لجمعية أصدقاء مرضى السرطان ان التغيير الجديد في الجدول الزمني جاء ليواكب الإقبال والطلب المتزايد على فحوصات الكشف المبكر عن سرطان الثدي التي تقدمها الحملة لقطاعات كبيرة من المقيمين في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة ورغبتهم بتمديد عمل العيادات المتنقلة لتمكينهم من الاستفادة مع عائلاتهم من خدماتها الطبية والمشاركة في برامجها التوعوية ونتوقع تجاوباً أكبر مع نشاطاتنا وهو ما يمنحنا فرصة أكبر للتعريف بالحملة لقطاعات أوسع من الجمهور والختام بمسيرة الفرسان السنوية في 15 أبريل القادم.
DUBAI, 20th October, 2013 (WAM) -- Breast cancer in men is a stark reality, as was seen after the annual Pink Caravan awareness campaign's result analysis, which revealed that one 48-year-old Emirati man was diagnosed with malignant breast cancer.
The man, who has not been named, was one of thousands of patients who received free screening and checkups during the annual pan-U.A.E. trek. A lump which had gone unchecked for more than six years was found in his chest and he was urgently referred for an ultrasound.
A number of tests including mammogram, biopsy and needle aspiration were consequently conducted, and he was advised to undergo surgery for a mastectomy.
Continuing its drive to educate the public about the various facets of breast cancer, Pink Caravan, the nationwide breast cancer awareness campaign, is drawing attention to an often-overlooked segment of breast cancer sufferers - men.
Speaking about the issue of breast cancer in men, Dr. Sawsan Al Madhi, Secretary-General for Friends of Cancer Patients charitable society, FoCP, and Head of the Pink Caravan Medical and Awareness committee, said, "There is a common misconception that breast cancer is solely a female matter, and even though the majority of breast cancer patients are women, male breast cancer is very real, a fact that was underscored by the identification of a man with breast cancer during this year's Pink Caravan Ride." Through their nationwide campaign, Pink Caravan aims to make every member of the community aware of the realities surrounding breast cancer, irrespective of their nationality, age, or gender, with the ultimate goal of ridding the U.A.E. entirely of the disease.
"In the three years since the first Pink Caravan Ride began, we have conducted a total of over 21,794 breast cancer screenings, out of which 5,484 were for men. We hope to see the number of men coming forward to be tested continue to increase. We strongly urge all men to be screened if they have any suspicions of a lump or tumour - it is a step of courage that can potentially save their lives," Dr. Al Madhi added.
Share a story, a lesson or a piece of advice below. Photograph: Alix/Phanie/Rex Features
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the US, and several women have shared their experiences with the disease on the Guardian. Xeni Jardindescribed the “overwhelming learning curve” she faced after being diagnosed, and the solace she found in the online community. Emma Keller was “shocked” at the incredible, and highly varied, cost of treatment. Now we want to hear from you.
Tell us: what are the personal experiences that get lost in the noise of breast cancer awareness month?
If you've had breast cancer before, or are living with it today, share a personal experience or something you learned about the disease that you were not expecting
Found solace in a surprising place? Discovered a way to make mastectomy drains bearable? Had more difficulty adjusting to the process of getting implants than you expected? What about numbness, phantom pain or itching? How did you get through chemotherapy or radiation? If you had a lumpectomy, what’s it like to live with the anxiety of constant mammograms?
Share a story, a lesson or a piece of advice below. Selected responses will be featured on the Guardian.