Pink caravan cancer registry to help monitor patients

The Pink Caravan campaign is currently in the process of establishing a cancer registry within the UAE, an official announced Sunday. "This register will allow health professionals to follow up on the health of cancer patients and provide them with highest standards of health care, in line with the wise directives of the UAE's leaders," said Ameera Bin Karam, President and Founding Member of Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP). Ameera also pointed out that the Pink Caravan campaign aims to raise the number of people screened for breast cancer to 10,000 by end of October 2011 through offering free early breast cancer detection examinations. "The launch of the Pink Caravan campaign is evidence of the country's commitment to a humanitarian approach," The support of both the UAE's leaders and all involved bodies is a role model for solidarity, and has enhanced the principles of social responsibility," she said. The Pink Caravan Campaign was launched last April and continues to offer free early breast cancer detection examinations to all members of society to raise awareness about breast cancer across the UAE. The campaign recently set up a mobile clinic at the Atlantis hotel on the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, for the second time in two weeks, following the huge response received during its first visit. On the last occasion, more than 350 women were screened. Screenings were conducted in cooperation with the hotel's management, which welcomed the idea and made all the necessary preparations. One doctor and one nurse were sent from the Canadian Hospital to help the Pink Caravan's medical team in carrying out the examinations. These visits are in line with the Pink Caravan's aim to meet its objective of screening 10,000 people by the end of October 2011. Ameera urged both the public and private sectors to follow in the footsteps of the Canadian Hospital and Atlantis Hotel, which provided all possible support to ease the process of conducting the early breast cancer detection examinations, in order to reach the largest number of people possible, in line with their belief in and commitment to the ideals of social responsibility. Lectures The Pink Caravan programme for June included setting up mobile clinics and organising lectures at Al Nukhailat Girls School, Al Ruwaidha Girls School, Al Juwaizea Boys School in Al Saja'a, Sharjah English School, and Dibba Al Husn School, with the assistance of Preventive Medicine in Dibba Al Hosn. The programme also includes visits to the Sharjah Transport Corporation, the Guidance Society in Ajman, Mushairif Model School in Ajman, and Ladies Club in Kalba. Previously, an official from the Pink Caravan campaign revealed the results of its 10-day campaign across the UAE, which took place earlier this year. Statistics from the country-wide campaign show that 2,446 people attended lectures (2,350 women and 96 men), and 1,600 people were screened for breast cancer (1,537 women and 63 men).