UAE | Health
Free mammogram camp offers peace of mind
Camp held on Friday offered free mammograms to women who perhaps could not afford to pay for the test themselves
- By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 October 24, 2010
- Image Credit: Alice Johnson/Gulf News
- Women receive free mammogram vouchers at BurJuman, Dubai.
Dubai: Zahra Satarnezhaj is 42, her niece has breast cancer, and both her mother and another niece are suffering from lymphoma — cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system.
All three of these close family members have been diagnosed with the disease in the past two-and-a-half years.
"I had a mammogram three years ago, but I didn't go last year for myself because I was busy with my family," she told Gulf News at the Safe and Sound mammogram camp at BurJuman on Friday.
"Caring for them, I forget myself, it's a serious thing," the Iranian resident of Dubai said.
Deserving women
The camp was held from 12 noon to 8pm on Friday, and was designed to offer free mammograms to deserving women — those who perhaps cannot afford to pay for the test themselves. Many women visited the camp to nominate others, while some nominated themselves.
"We are the main engine, if we go wrong, everything in the house goes wrong," Hasumati R. Dhanak, 40, Indian market research freelancer and mother said at the camp.
"I've just crossed my 40th birthday. We are working as well as we don't take care of ourselves," she said of women. The mother of two was born and brought up in Dubai and has a mammogram every six months. From 8am to 2pm every day she works, then for the rest of the day, she says "I'm a typical housewife".
Doctors advise that women aged 40 and above have a mammogram every year. Normally this check-up can cost between Dh400 and Dh750, depending on whether an ultrasound is also needed. With an ultrasound, the tests cost can rise to almost Dh1,000.
Shamin Jahan Siddiqui, 53, has been living in Dubai for 26 years. She read about the mammogram camp in Gulf News.
Healthy lifestyle
"I'm very careful, I exercise and I eat healthily. My mother and father were also very careful. I've felt lumps before in my breasts," she said, adding that she's going to have the check-up soon.
For 43-year-old Liza, a Filipina, "prevention is better than cure. I want to ensure I'm healthy", she said.
"I don't want to wait in case something will happen," she said.
More from UAE Health
More from UAE
Latest news
- Tracks to be laid on recycled material
- Golden Hour crucial to a patient's survival
- Opening show worthy of UAE
- Sun is shining on prospects for solar power
- Artists focus on craftsmanship
- World leaders committed to supporting civilians
- Schools open a new page in teaching English
- Special parking to help disabled tourists
- Helping hand surgeons have long sought
- Blind woman lights up corridors of power
- In Mind
- At times, I think of committing suicide
- Designer of a creative haven
- Fund to help Dubai taxi drivers' families
- New life-saving fleet of vehicles
Community Reports
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
-
Supporting the needy with food supplies
Group of families engaged in serving isolated labour community hopes to motivate more people to help underprivileged and hungry
-
Leukaemia boy granted wish to meet footballer
Emirati meets hero Al Qahtani, Al Ain team
