Jeddah: The dominant colour was pink, not the black of the traditional abaya, as women from all walks of Saudi society came together to raise awareness about breast cancer. The immediate goal was to break the world record for the biggest human pink ribbon to give the cause maximum visibility.
At the end of the event, held at the education ministry stadium in the Red sea city of Jeddah, 3,952 Saudi women succeeded in getting their message across with a world record to show for their efforts, the culmination of an intensive month-long national and international campaign to draw attention to a form of cancer widely recognised as a threat to Saudi women.
Not a single man was allowed to witness the event, the first of its kind for the conservative society, during which women replaced their abayas with blush-coloured ponchos and scarves.
"We have conquered the world record of Germany for a human chain," announced Princess Reema Bint Bandar, the leader of the effort, and daughter of Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, the former Saudi ambassador to the United States. She was referring to the previous record set by 3,640 individuals in Germany in 2007.
"We are pleased with this achievement and thank all those who supported us in the campaign for their efforts," she added at the end of the event on Thursday, as thousands of women cheered and many held pink balloons aloft.
Royal support
The event was also attended by several Saudi princesses, including Princess Haifa Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz and Princess Lulua Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz.
"We want the news to reach women everywhere [in Saudi Arabia], that the disease [cancer] exists," said Princess Haifa, who is chairperson of the Riyadh-based Zahra Association and was the main organiser of the event.
"The earlier it [cancer] is detected, the better the chances of cure become," she told Gulf News, adding that there are many women who do not undergo routine medical check-ups. "It's our duty to spread awareness and information amongst people every where," she said.
Today, breast cancer is the most-diagnosed form of cancer amongst women in Saudi Arabia, accounting for nearly 29 per cent of all cancer cases in women in the country, said Dr Suad Bint Mohammad Bint Amr, head of the breast cancer research centre at King Faisal Speciality Hospital in Riyadh.
Dr Suad took the initiative in 1998 and formed Zahra — a voluntary social group, named after her mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer. The group expanded to become a national association in 2003.
However, Dr Suad told Gulf News that it's not easy to quantify breast cancer cases, or those cancer cases in Saudi Arabia as "no comprehensive survey has been undertaken so far. The numbers included are the number of those who arrived at the hospitals. There are cases that have not reached the hospitals."
According to a study by the Saudi Cancer registry, breast cancer is the most-diagnosed form of cancer in Saudi Arabia. It is estimated to represent 12.4 per cent of all cancer cases and 23.6 per cent of cancer cases among women.
These figures may seem high, but Saudi medical studies claim that the rate of breast cancer in the kingdom is relatively low compared to other countries. Other medical experts, however, warn that the real figures could be higher.
During a talk-show shown recently on Al Arabiyah TV channel, a Saudi female medical specialist warned that not all cases are reported, and many patients in some areas find it easier to travel to neighbouring Arab countries, mainly Jordan, for medical treatment rather than travel to Saudi cities.
How effective do you think such campaigns are in increasing awareness about breast cancer? Did you or someone you know go for a mammogram after participating in an awareness programme?
