Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) organised an impactful ‘You Are Not Alone’ event as a pivotal segment of its renowned ‘Blossom’ campaign In October, which is the World Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event held in Ned Hotel saw a distinguished gathering of specialists, media, and influential public figures coming together to raise awareness of breast cancer. TV presenter Iman Ayyad presented the event.
The event aims to enhance community awareness of the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle to prevent cancer and to stress the importance of early detection of breast cancer, considered one of the most common types of cancer among women in Qatar and worldwide.
The event included several activities, most notably a panel discussion with the participation ofDr. ArtefaaAl-Shamari - consultant breast surgeon; Dr. Maha Al-Subaie - women’s mental health; TV presenterSheikha Al-Mannai – living with breast cancer; and an Arab sports icon Nada Zidane, in addition to the participation of several women living with breast cancer.
Several prominent institutions played a significant role in supporting the breast cancer awareness event, including strategic partners such as Ooredoo, Suhail Holding, and Aamal. Mowasalat, the official sponsor of the event, also contributing significantly were the other notable supporters, including Mitsubishi, The Ned Hotel, Tasweer Company, Floward Company, Al Jazeera Medical Centre, Gharawi, La Difference, La Boutique Blanche, and Bdlaty Designs.
Mona Ashkanani, generalmanager of Qatar Cancer Society, said, "Organising the (you are not alone) event comes as a continuation of the QCS’s efforts towards raising awareness of cancer, methods of prevention, and early detection.
"The "Blossom "campaign, running in its fourth year in a row now, has received broad responses within the community, prompting us to continue and enrich it with more events and activities. It is a national campaign targeting all segments of the Qatari Society throughout October,” she said.
The campaign seeks to achieve a set of goals, the most important of which is encouraging early detection as it is the mainstay in prevention and treatment, raising awareness about the disease, and spreading a culture of adopting healthy lifestyles to prevent it, highlighting the related health services available in the State of Qatar. It also seeks to spread hope and optimism among different segments of the society towards cancer and the ability to combat it, and to activate its role in providing the necessary support for cancer patients, materially and morally, she added.