JEDDAH: As the global breast cancer awareness month of October comes to an end, Arab News has recently added a pink ribbon on its print-edition masthead, website and social media accounts.
The ribbon is part of the Middle East’s leading English daily’s “Check It Out” initiative which saw team members across various bureaus take part in reminding female family members, friends and acquaintances via WhatsApp, e-mail and their personal Facebook/Twitter accounts that early detection makes treatment of potentially fatal breast cancer much easier.
The newspaper’s use of the pink ribbon won instant applause from the Riyadh-based Zahra Breast Cancer Association.
“We are very grateful for Arab News support with the pink ribbon on the masthead! It was truly a great Pink October due to the support we received from various organizations,” said Dania Almaeena, the association’s director general.
Almaeena thanked all those involved in spreading awareness of breast cancer, the importance of healthy living and early detection of the disease.
“There are many risk factors, including being a female. Other factors include obesity and smoking which increase the risk of getting breast cancer, as well as bad eating habits and an unhealthy lifestyle,” she said.
“What we try to do at Zahra is to focus on prevention and suggest many activities that are part of having a healthy way of life,” she added.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of Zahra Association and we are happy to see how much has been achieved in those 10 years. We started as volunteers knocking at different doors and talking about the disease; it was a big change because of the culture of silence in our society,” said Almaeena.
“Now, after 10 years, it is amazing to see different organizations, from both the public and private sector, being part of this awareness campaign. We are seeing shops and restaurants carrying the message and spreading awareness. We have also had great support from different organizations, schools, universities, hospitals and malls.
“We have five specific goals. First and foremost is raising awareness of the disease, not only in October but all year long. We also have a screening program; we work with the Ministry of Health to create mobile units with mammograms for screening. We also work on training and development with the help of professionals in the field.
“We have a patients’ relations department where we support patients in different ways, including providing a shop that supplies the things they need. We also have support groups that work supporting patients in hospitals who are going through treatment.”
Jeddah-based Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi is a breast cancer survivor who wrote a book telling how she had successfully battled the disease. She is CEO of the Center of Excellence at the Al-Amoudi Center of King Abdulaziz University.
Speaking to Arab News, she said the major challenges facing people in dealing with breast cancer and tackling the problem is “the problem of breaking the silence, as people wouldn’t talk about it, and, in some cases, even thinking of it is taboo.”
Al-Amoudi said women need to be aware of their health rights. “For example, women must know that they are the only decision-makers when it comes to their health. They are the only ones authorized to sign for chemotherapy or surgery.”
The one piece of advice Al-Amoudi constantly gives patients is that they must have strong faith in God and stick to their medical treatment. As long as they follow medical instructions, the survival rate is high.
She praised the media for playing a very positive role: “Media play a major role in breaking the silence, spreading the word and empowering women, and I thank all the media efforts, especially that of Arab News, for supporting women and the campaign. They did a tremendous job during the month of October.”
