Diriyah, Jewel of the Kingdom: Diriyah boosts breast cancer fight with mobile check-up center

More than 200 women from Diriyah took the opportunity to be seen by the mobile center’s expert medical team. (Supplied)

• Diriyah boosts breast cancer fight with mobile check-up center

To mark the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) last month played host to a mobile medical center, offering check-ups and screenings to members of the community.
More than 200 women from Diriyah took the opportunity to be seen by the mobile center’s expert medical team, who taught them about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of catching them early.
The mobile center traveled to a variety of areas around Diriyah and welcomed visitors, who were pleased to be checked for breast cancer and hear about how the disease can often be first identified at home.
The truck’s arrival was organized by DGDA, whose mandate, alongside transforming the birthplace of the Saudi state into a global hub for culture and tourism, is to empower, champion and care for the local community.
Maram Almuhaideb, a digital experience officer at DGDA, praised the success of the mobile center, saying: “The truck and all of the staff aboard have been immensely helpful in elevating the understanding of this disease amongst the people of Diriyah. We are all so grateful for their hard work and dedication in keeping our community aware of the early signs of breast cancer.”
She added: “Our mission at DGDA is to engage with the community through events such as these. Their well-being is a central consideration in everything we do, and this mobile center has helped us drive this mission forward.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as Pink October, is an annual international campaign that aims to raise awareness of the impact of breast cancer and funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. The mobile center in Diriyah formed part of a larger effort across the Kingdom to boost understanding of the disease.
Women are the group most affected by breast cancer, globally and in Saudi Arabia. There is still work to be done to increase awareness of the disease among women in the Kingdom. DGDA played its part in improving this by arranging the presence of the mobile check-up center.
DGDA also has a broader role to play in promoting better economic and social outcomes for women. Tourism is one of the most inclusive sectors, spreading opportunity across all ages and communities, with global tourism employing more women than average, historically making up 54 percent of the workforce.
The past year-and-a-half has been a monumental challenge to global health, with breast cancer prevention among the areas affected due to people staying at home during the pandemic. Although there have been obstacles to screenings and early detection, the world is now rising to meet the challenge head-on. Diriyah is no exception and it is hoped that the mobile check-up centers help women in the local community avoid the harmful consequences of undetected breast cancer.