Pink Caravan Ride uncovers 11 positive breast cancer results

sharjah — The Pink Caravan Ride, the pan-UAE breast cancer awareness campaign organised by the Friends of Cancer Patient (FoCP), has diagnosed 11 positive cases of breast cancer in 2018 from nearly 8,000 screenings.

Four of the eleven women were residents of Sharjah, four in Ajman, two in Dubai and one woman resided in Ras Al Khaimah, according to the organisers. Two of those who were diagnosed are in their early sixties, four in their mid-fifties, four in their forties and one women is just 30 years old. The results also showed a wide range of nationalities — three Filipinos, two Sudanese, an Iraqi, a Jordanian, an Egyptian, a Moroccan, an Indian and a Palestinian — now receiving treatment.

The Pink Caravan Ride had conducted 47 mammography tests this year at its mobile medical clinics, along with 254 mammography tests and 97 ultrasound examinations in partnership with private healthcare providers. The ride offered services to 687 more people than last year, and for the first time the Medical Awareness Committee kept the fixed clinics operational for nine days after the campaign concluded, adding 2,635 extra checkups.

Reem Bin-Karam, head of the Pink Caravan’s higher steering committee, said: “The cross-section of the community that these women come from shows that nobody is immune to breast cancer, whatever is their background. Bearing mind that the youngest case is just 30 years old, the take-up of the Pink Caravan Ride’s offer of more than 5,000 clinical screenings for people below-40 is another indicator of heightened awareness.”

Since the Pink Caravan Ride began in 2011, more than 56,000 clinical examinations have taken place, almost 20 per cent of which have been men. The tests have included 16,462 mammograms and 2,232 ultrasounds. The total number of those who are being treated or who have been treated through the Pink Caravan is 54, including 12 women in 2017, five of whom have completed their therapy and are attending FoCP moral support events.

The cross-section of the community that these women come from shows that nobody is immune to breast cancer, whatever is their background.”

Reem Bin-Karam, head of higher steering committee, Pink Caravan

The ride offered services to 687 more people than last year, and for the first time, the Medical Awareness Committee kept the fixed clinics operational for nine days after the campaign concluded.