There is life after cancer, stresses new awareness campaign
DUBAI: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in females among Emiratis and expatriates in the UAE. Additionally, females in the UAE have the tendency to develop breast cancer at least a decade earlier than their counterparts in western countries.
“This year alone, over 4,500 people in the UAE were diagnosed with cancer, and within that more than 20 per cent were breast cancer cases,” said Dr Laila Al Jassmi, founder & CEO of Health Beyond Borders.
She was addressing the media in Dubai on Monday after launching Breasthetica – a social impact campaign for breast cancer survivors in the UAE providing post-cancer breast aesthetic surgery and raising awareness that there is life after cancer.
The campaign aims to help breast cancer survivors in the country through their recovery process by offering three women free breast aesthetic surgeries. The drive will be led by Aesthetica Clinic Dubai – an Avivo Group enterprise that focuses on anti-aging, aesthetic medicine and plastic surgical procedures.
According to the Journal of Cancer Prevention & Current Research published by Medcrave in June 2018, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in females among UAE citizens (32.16%) as well as non-uae citizens (41.41%).
Another report published in September 2018 by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggests a total of 1,054 (22.4 per cent) cases of breast cancer were found in 2018 in UAE alone, that count for 22.4% of all cancer cases, making it the worst case among women.
“This should give us an idea of how essential it is for every woman over the age of 40 to go for regular screening. Early breast cancer detection allows for more treatment options and better chances of survival. The UAE government is also making strident efforts to promote early detection through different health authorities in the UAE. Through Breasthetica, we want to complement the government efforts in raising awareness in the country and play our role towards early detection and curing breast cancer,” added Dr Laila Al Jassmi, advisor Breasthetica initiative.
Commenting on the Breasthetica campaign, CEO of Avivo Group Dr Dilshaad Ali said that breast cancer is a tough battle to ight; physically, emotionally and psychologically.
EMPOWERMENT
“Through Breasthetica we not only want to spread awareness about the disease, but we also want to empower women to regain their conidence, and have happy and fulilled lives, like everyone else. Besides providing access to such specialized surgery to deserving patients, we see this as an opportunity for us to raise awareness that there is life after cancer, especially when detected early,” he said.
Deserving candidates will be chosen by an independent medical committee comprising internationally renowned team of surgeons and independent representatives from leading UAE healthcare entities. The program will support the candidates throughout the pre-selection process, pre-surgery, surgery and follow up aftercare that will run continuously for a lifetime.
Dr Mario Russo, Director Medical Affairs at Aesthetica Clinic, said that the Aesthetica clinic aims to raise breast aesthetic surgery awareness in the UAE by educating women that they can rebuild their self-conidence through permanent aesthetic based procedures. The psycho-social aspect of recovery has often been related to the physical appearance post cancer treatment.
“Globally, breast cancer awareness campaigns have been very successful but post-mastectomy recovery has yet to gain awareness. Breast aesthetic surgeries in post-mastectomy women can play a critical role in aiding recovery, well-being and improving self-conidence,” he said.
“Our role at Aesthetica is to use the best and most advanced means and resources needed to make people look beautiful for breast cancer survivors, to help them feel complete, gorgeous and happy,” he added.