Sharjah: Eleven positive cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed during the 2018 Pink Caravan Ride, the pan-UAE breast cancer awareness campaign organised by Friends of Cancer Patients UAE.
From a total of nearly 8,000 screenings and clinical examinations, doctors and specialists referred the 11 women, aged between 30-62 years for further examinations, which tested positive.
Four of the eleven women were residents of Sharjah, four of Ajman, two of Dubai and one of Ras Al Khaimah, demonstrating the effectiveness of the campaign across the emirates.
mammography tests carried out during 8th Pink Caravan Ride
The 8th edition of the Pink Caravan Ride conducted 47 mammography tests at its mobile medical clinics, along with 254 mammography tests and 97 ultrasound examinations in partnership with private health care providers.
Two of the women, who tested positive, are in their early sixties, four in their mid-fifties, four in their forties and one is just 30 years old.
The results also showed a wide range of nationalities, with three Filipinos, two Sudanese, an Iraqi, a Jordanian, an Egyptian, a Moroccan, an Indian and a Palestinian, who are now receiving treatment.
According to a statement issued on Monday, this year’s Pink Caravan Ride was the most comprehensive to date, offering its services to 687 more people than last year, and for the first time the Medical Awareness Committee kept a number of the fixed clinics operational for nine days after the campaign concluded, adding 2,635 extra check-ups to the final tally.
Clinical examinations
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 the Friends of Cancer Patients moral support events.
Since the Pink Caravan Ride began in 2011, more than 56,000 clinical examinations have taken place, 20 per cent of which have been men.
The tests have included 16,462 mammograms and 2,232 ultrasounds.
Reem Bin Karam, head of the Pink Caravan’s higher steering committee, said: “To be able to help these 11 women is a hugely gratifying part of the Pink Caravan campaign, and has potentially been a life-saving exercise for them. Equally, the increasing willingness of so many people to undertake screenings has been overwhelming and that reflects our key message of awareness.
Youngest case is 30 years old
“The cross-section of the community that these women come from shows that nobody is immune to breast cancer, whatever their background.
Bearing in 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.”
At the end of the eighth Pink Caravan Ride, clinical screenings, mammograms and expert medical advice has been offered to 7,795 people — the highest number the initiative has reached in its eight-year history.
The stats break-up offered by the medical awareness committee of the ride includes 7,177 women and 618 men.
These numbers comprise 1,557 UAE nationals and 6,238 expatriates, constituting 2,559 people in the 40+ age category and 5,236 individuals below 40 years of age.
After the initial clinical screenings, 2,186 were referred for a mammogram, and 430 were advised to undergo an ultrasound.
The Pink Caravan Ride is an initiative that falls under UAE-based charity, Friends of Cancer Patients, under the vision and patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council Ruler of Sharjah; and his wife Shaikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Founder and Royal Patron of the ‘Friends of Cancer Patients’, International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC.
