More to cancer awareness campaign than just going pink
dubai — Raising awareness on early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options must be the priority in running cancer awareness campaigns, instead of just going ‘pink’ with all sorts of merchandise up for sale, according to advocates and school students in Dubai.
According to activists, an increasing number of awareness programmes revolve around encouraging school students and adults to invest money in ‘pink’ commodities — such as shoes and T-shirts, making the campaign highly commercialised.
Premi Mathew, a senior cancer activist and a breast cancer survivor in Dubai, said the entire purpose of launching her ‘Protect Your Mom’ campaign was to encourage moms to raise awareness for selfexamination and early detection.
“Campaigns must revolve around encouraging women to check for early signs because that is more important than just going pink. People go pink without realising why. Furthermore, hair donation adds to the empathy to the campaign, and people should also understand what cancer is,” the founder of Hair for Hope — India and Protect Your Mom — International told Khaleej Times.
“We need to focus on making mothers do monthly self-exams which can help find early signs at no cost in the comfort of their home,” she added.
Hair donation campaigns
Government and private organisations, schools, and charities have been organising several campaigns to raise awareness of breast cancer. A total of 30 students and three parents from Gems Our Own Indian School, Al Quoz, donated 12 inches of their hair towards the cause.
Lalitha Suresh, principal of Gems Our Own Indian School, said: “We organise campaigns every year because we want children to be aware of the perils of cancer. We also organised self-examination classes for senior students (Grade 6 upwards). The objective is to educate the public and the future generations that they need to take care of themselves.”
Grade 7 student Archana Anil Kumar said: “After growing my hair for 4-5 years, I donated 12 inches towards the cause. This is the first time I am donating hair, and I did it because I wanted to help cancer patients who deserve to have wigs.”
Students of the Kindergarten Starters (KGS) school in Garhoud also donated their hair for breast cancer patients.
Inspired by the children, a number of their teachers, parents, and a supervisor joined the hair donation drive. The school then conducted a one-hour event to show their solidarity and support for the UAE breast cancer awareness campaign.
A total of 10 people including students, teachers and parents went up the stage to donate their locks for the cause. A team of beauticians from First Look salon in Bur Dubai willingly came forward to offer their services for the haircut, which would later be made into wigs for cancer patients who lose their hair mostly during chemotherapy.
“My contribution might be a drop in the ocean; I am happy to be that drop and bring a smile to someone,” school teacher Rama Venkatesh said.
Grade 4 student Aileen said: “I grow my hair every year, this is the second time I have grown it to donate for cancer, I will grow it out again and be back next year, too.”
“Having had family members battle cancer, we felt it was a good way to make our 4-year-old aware of how she could be a part of something noble,” a mother of a KG1 student said.
Encouraging her staff and students for donating for the cause, KGS principal Asha Alexander called them ‘real heroes’ and said: “They are brave, selfless, stepped forward to donate their hair and we are proud of them. This shows that every day, if you do some acts of kindness, it may inspire others to join in and touch lives.”
We need to focus on making mothers do monthly self-exams which can help find early signs at no cost in the comfort of their home.” Premi Mathew, founder, Protect Your Mom campaign