Tawam Hospital aids Pink Caravan on its cancer awareness expedition through the UAE

Tawam Hospital has built its reputation as a leader in cancer care over more than 30 years. Over the last five years, its cancer awareness campaigns have reached tens of thousands of people and helped save many lives.

It organises the Emirates Oncology Conference every year that brings together global experts in their respective oncological treatment fields. It also organises an annual fun run where families put on their running shoes and at the same time are encouraged to think, talk and make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. In 2009, Tawam became the first-ever hospital in the Middle East to introduce mobile mammography screening in an attempt to curb the trend of late diagnosis leading to high mortality levels.

Pink Caravan covered 17 km in Al Ain today after it began its journey at Sheikh Tahnoon Stadium (Al Ain Sports Club). It stopped over at Al Ain Municipality and the UAE University (Al Muwaiji) on its way to the hospital. The Friends of Cancer Patients charity (FoCP) Initiative, the Pink Caravan, raises awareness of breast cancer and educates the public about the importance of early detection through regular tests. It also helps raise funds to support the campaign's goals of providing free mammograms throughout the Emirates via a mobile mammography unit. The Caravan's annual pan-UAE horseback expedition to create awareness of breast cancer detection and care is accompanied by mobile clinics that provide ultrasound and mammogram examinations for breast and other cancer detection.

Commenting on the success of the expedition this year, Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, Secretary General for Friends of Cancer Patients charitable organisation (FoCP) and Head of the Pink Caravan's Medical and Awareness committee said: "We are pleased to note the increase in breast cancer awareness and its detection in UAE since we began our annual rides three years ago. Our aim this year is to perform 5000 quality screens and so far on day 9 of this year's ride, we have accomplished screens we are very close to this number. We are proud to partner with well-known oncology centres such as Tawam Hospital to ensure that more people in the UAE undergo clinical examinations and testing in order to arrest the growth of cancer in our society."

Dr Mohamed Al Bashir, Director of Tawam Hospital Breast Care Centre said: "We are delighted to welcome riders of the Pink Caravan and commend their team of truly committed volunteers on their work towards fulfilling their mission of increasing cancer awareness. In the UAE, most breast cancer cases occur in women aged 40 and above and recent findings suggest that more than 80 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in the Middle East are diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. This limits treatment options as catching the disease early is vital in the fight against the disease. The number of cancer patients can be greatly reduced by increasing clinical check-ups for early detection. We are inspired by the charitable work of the Pink Caravan and look forward to supporting their activities and initiatives throughout the year."

Pink Caravan's ride began in Sharjah on 2nd February 2013 and will culminate in Abu Dhabi on 12th February at Burjeel Hospital. The Caravan consists of over 200 riders on horseback divided into teams of 20 riders each.

The Pink Caravan's ride aims to spread greater awareness about breast cancer, encourage the importance of self -examination, and raise funds for a 3D mobile mammogram unit to provide free clinical screenings for all citizens and expatriates in the UAE.

Tawam Hospital is part of the SEHA Health System owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.