Ford’s Warriors in Pink Dedicated to fuelling the spirit of breast cancer survivors
Radiating with positivity, breast cancer survivors selected by Ford Middle East and North Africa for this year’s edition of Warriors in Pink have come together to reflect on their battles with the disease and to share their heartfelt stories.
By continuously asking, “What more can we do?” Ford’s long-standing programme Warriors in Pink continues to support, inspire and empower patients, survivors and co-survivors of the disease year after year. The objective is to drive conversation on breast cancer awareness as a leading health concern, to spread a message of hope to current patients and to encourage women and men to get regular check-ups.
Following the remarkable success of previous years’ activities, Ford recently organised several photo sessions for survivors - “Models of Courage” - across the Middle East and North Africa region, in the hope that these courageous ladies’ actions can inspire current and future patients in their own battles. The 2016 collection of the “Warriors in Pink” clothing and accessories line, which includes a wide range of items from scarves to shirts, was also introduced during these photo sessions.
“Everyone said I was so strong and coped very well emotionally. I’m not sure I always felt that strong inside when I was at my weakest with the chemotherapy treatment”, says Model of Courage Sheila Lilley. She continues: “But my view was that, as long as my children and husband were healthy, I could cope emotionally and physically. My main concern was making sure I survived as I was not ready to say goodbye to my beautiful children.”
In a similar context, Model of Courage Jane Chacko advises women: “It is very important to take the necessary precautions. I went for a baseline mammogram when I was 40 years old, but then I never went back. Had I gone for regular mammograms, I would not have been able to prevent cancer, but my cancer would have been detected earlier, which would have made my treatment easier. In fact, if my cancer had been diagnosed in time, I could have avoided going through chemotherapy. So go for a mammogram!” Chacko explains: “If a woman is diagnosed with cancer, it is not necessarily the end of the world. Cancer can be treated and many women are breast cancer survivors and are leading normal lives. The important thing is to accept the situation - it is what it is - don’t think about what you should have done or what could have been, rather just stay positive and move on.”
The 2016 edition of Warriors in Pink was a relaxing event held at the Baraka Wellness Centre at the Costa Del Sol hotel, Kuwait. Two breast cancer survivors- Sheila and Jane Chacko -modelled the new apparel and accessories collection, and shared their powerful message of hope.
Sue Nigoghossian, general manager, Communications, Ford Middle East and North Africa, said: “We are thrilled to welcome these courageous and inspiring women to the Models of Courage programme, and we are proud to have them represent Warriors in Pink in the region. This campaign has flourished into a long-standing programme in the Middle East and North Africa, and we continue to be committed to raising greater awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early detection as it can help save lives.”“Through the Warriors in Pink campaign, we aim to further raise awareness in the UAE and across the MENA region, to encourage, inspire and empower breast cancer patients, as well as their families.”
Ford Warriors in Pink hopes to raise the needed awareness about this topic and looks forward to valuable engagement in the fight against breast cancer.