Dubai: More than a thousand people attempted to break a world record yesterday for the biggest human formation of a breast cancer pink ribbon at Meydan. Despite being short on people for the actual record, spirits were high among supporters and breast cancer survivors for the time spent together raising awareness on the disease.
Organised by Breast Cancer Arabia based in the UAE, the record attempt in Dubai needed more than the 3,952 people which helped secure the current record in Saudi Arabia last year.
Breast Cancer Arabia provides information for women on breast cancer and through its Breast Cancer Arabia Foundation, pays for treatment for those women with breast cancer who cannot afford treatment and provides online training courses for doctors and nurses who wish to become specialised in the treatment of breast cancer.
"It would have been good to boost Dubai with this record because the current record is held by Saudi Arabia," said Terri D'Elia, ambassador for Breast Cancer Arabia she said, "but with so many events in Dubai in October I think it's hard to get so many people in one place."
It has been reported that breast cancer will affect one woman in eight, and that up to 80 per cent of breast cancer sufferers have no family history of the disease. Breast cancer stage are usually expressed as a number on a scale of 0 through 4 — with stage 0 describing non-invasive cancers that remain within their original location and stage 4 describing invasive cancers that have spread outside the breast to other parts of the body.
Liz Dosal, 34, from the Philippines was diagnosed with stage 3B breast cancer in January. Participating yesterday at the world record attempt she said, "I'm exhausted, but I'm optimistic that I will be well."
After discovering a lump in one breast, Dosal went for a mammogram and was given her diagnosis without must optimism from her doctor. "I am almost stage 4 and I was told that it does not look good but I have to be optimistic. I cannot just lie down and wait for my time — it's too depressing!" she said. Described by her boss as ‘the backbone of the company', Oren Hendriques from India said Dosal was a strong woman.
Padmapriya Asokan, 40, took part in the record attempt yesterday with her friend Usha Bhjat, 36, both from India. "I think there should be more awareness and street advertising to tell the public about breast cancer," she said.
