Dubai: The eighth annual Pink Caravan Ride (PCR) team of 14 horse riders set off on day three of the breast cancer awareness campaign in Dubai on Friday and were expected to travel for six kilometres starting from Jumeirah and ending at Etihad Museum.
The day was scheduled to feature two events, the Pink Regatta at The Palm, and a Junior Fun Day at the Al Qudra Lakes which includes a junior horse ride, bike rides, and a lot more.
Medical clinics at Al Qudra Lakes, Ibn Battuta Mall and Zabeel Park offered free medical check-ups from 10am to 6pm.
A fixed clinic in The Dubai Mall will be operational from 4pm to 10pm from Sunday to March 11.
On Saturday, riders are planning to proceed to Ras Al Khaimah, where they will travel 12.2km on horseback starting at the RAK Department of Economic Development and concluding the ride at the Al Qawasim Corniche.
The campaign clinics will be set up at the Abdullah Bin Omran Hospital, Al Jeer Health Centre and Ras Al Khaimah Hospital.
659 screened in Fujairah
Earlier on the second day of the ride, meanwhile, the riders were accompanied by hundreds of volunteers and ambassadors on the pan-UAE breast awareness campaign on Thursday in Fujairah.
Starting at City Centre Fujairah on Masafi Road, the ride mapped 15km of the emirate in five hours, carrying the message of hope and making several stops through their journey to promote the message of breast cancer awareness and the benefits of its early detection. The pink brigade selected Fujairah Hospital and the Fujairah Fort as its two pit stops, before finally concluding the day’s campaigning at the Fujairah Corniche.
The riders on their thoroughbreds covered 3.2km to reach the first stop, the Fujairah Hospital. The campaigners actively interacted with hospital visitors, sharing with them the importance of regular screening as a sure-shot way to detecting a malignancy at its very onset.
Next stop was the 16th century Fujairah Fort, an icon of strength and history for the entire nation.
Medical clinics for free breast cancer screening, mammogram and other relevant tests were set up in Masafi Hospital, Fujairah Hospital and ComeSurge Emirates Hospitals and Clinics Fujairah. All units received visitors through the day from 10am to 6pm.
According to the Pink Caravan Medical Awareness Committee, 659 people, including 64 men, were screened at the clinics. These included 125 Emiratis and 534 expatriates, comprising 171 people in the 40-plus age category and 488 individuals below 40 years. After the initial screenings, 471 walk-ins were given the safe card, 166 were referred for a mammogram, and 22 were advised to undergo the ultrasound scanning.
All along the equine route, volunteers were seen actively distributing information materials and medical check-up schedules to bystanders and passers-by. From Fujairah Fort, the Pink Caravan began the last leg of its journey in the emirate, travelling 5km to the Fujairah Corniche, which marked the conclusion of the horse ride.
How to make donations
To enhance people’s participation and charitable acts in the ‘UAE Year of Zayed 2018’, the Pink Caravan is accepting donations as low as Dh5. The donations can be made by sending an SMS to 2302 (Etisalat or du). Direct fund transfers can be made to the Pink Caravan’s Sharjah Islamic Bank account. Its official website, Facebook account (ThePinkCaravan), or mobile app (Pink Caravan) can also be used for making donations.
To stay updated and participate in these activities, visit http://www.pinkcaravan.ae/events-listing.php
