Um Al Quwain Aeroclub supports National Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

The campaign, which was launched on October first under the UAE Ministry of Health (MoH), General Authority for Health Services for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (GAHS), the Department of Health and Medical Services, Dubai (DoHMS) and in conjunction with Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and GE Healthcare, aims to encourage as many women in the UAE to get tested by offering discounted and free mammography testing at selected centres across the Emirates.

Diving from a small aircraft at the height of about ten thousand ft, the five skydivers sustained a pink formation in the sky for ten to fifteen seconds as they were freefalling at a rate of 200 kmph, before separating and deploying their parachutes, releasing 12ft long pink streamers.

Captain Khalid Masud Butt, Managing Director and Chief Flight Instructor, Um Al Quwain Aeroclub, expressed his delight at being able to show support to this region wide initiative. "To my knowledge, this is the first time skydivers have ever jumped for breast cancer awareness in the UAE. We are deeply honored to be supporting this campaign through the kindness and generosity of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Mualla, owner and Chairman of Umm Al Quwain Aeroclub, as breast cancer has touched the lives of some of our skydivers."

Mark Boddy, one of the skydivers who participated in the formation said, "A very close relative of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer recently and it has been extremely difficult for everyone involved. I would like to take this opportunity to urge all women over forty across the UAE to get a mammography because early detection can save lives."

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign will run throughout the months of October and November with several private hospitals across the Emirates offering discounts on mammography testing. In addition, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, the Maternal and Child Health Centre in Sharjah and Alfa Medical Group in Dubai, will all be offering free mammographies for local and expatriate women for the duration of the campaign.