Today, the 10th edition of the Pink Caravan Walk, one of the Friends of Cancer Patients Association initiatives, is concerned with spreading awareness about the importance of early and periodic examination of breast cancer, to continue to spread its awareness and educational messages, through its accompanying activities and sessions, and by providing free medical examinations to various Community members are women and men.
The convoy will continue until the sixth of next March, to roam its knights and knights of the seven emirates of the state, all the way to the capital Abu Dhabi, keeping in mind the achievement of a noble goal, which is to provide 10 thousand medical examinations over the 10 days. The march dedicated, on its first morning, a session entitled "The Social Return on Investment: A Sustainable Future for Early Detection of Breast Cancer", in which the most prominent health sector partners participate to highlight the importance of providing equitable access to cancer tests as one of the strategic goals and a shared responsibility, on all bodies and institutions Concerned to do to ensure a sustainable positive impact of the march.
The sessions provide the Pink Caravan March a model within the framework of the "social return for investment", with the aim of highlighting the social impact of the campaign and introducing it to its charitable partners.
Since its inception, the march has succeeded in providing more than 64,000 free medical exams, through 795 fixed and mobile medical clinics, at a rate of 280,000 volunteer hours.
The march was launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the wife of His Highness, Sheikha Jawaher Bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, founder and honorary president of the “Friends of Cancer Patients Association”, until she was able to dedicate her message, and mobilized around it the institutions and individuals with Common goals and directions.
Since giving His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah the start signal in 2011, the march made its first steps with only 50 volunteers, who managed, within 11 days, to provide free medical examinations, and to change the misconceptions about breast cancer among many, which was the reason for its success and rise, and pushing government agencies And private sector institutions to support them in their second career in 2012, which marked a turning point in their future. In 2013, the riders of the march, its volunteers, and its medical cadres continued their human journey, as medical examinations provided by the third session revealed the first case of male breast cancer, and the fourth session in 2014 strengthened the stature of the march, which is now roaming the seven emirates of the state.
In 2015, "Sharjah Media Corporation" donated 13.6 million dirhams to the Pink Caravan, to purchase a mobile clinic specialized in radiological examination (mammogram), which constituted another turning point in the history of the Fifth Cavalry March, as it enabled it to have an integrated mobile clinic, fully equipped, This helped her to expand her paths to reach remote areas, and to provide her free medical services to all members of society.
The march in its seventh session in 2017 was able to provide medical examination for 7000 patients, over 11 days, and the march continued its successes in 2018 by launching the permanent mobile clinic, equipped with the latest technologies to conduct a mammogram, which revealed 17 cases of breast cancer.
Qualitative transformation
The year 2019 witnessed a qualitative change in the march of the pink caravan, which presented a new approach in the treatment of breast cancer, including genetic examination, with the aim of helping those who were diagnosed with following the appropriate therapeutic method, to conclude its session with distinguished results, related to the participation of 670 knights and knights, and 810 volunteers They traveled 1,800 kilometers to raise awareness of the importance of early screening, and provided more than 18,500 radiographic mammograms.
• The tenth Cavalry March will continue until the sixth of next March.
• The march succeeded in providing more than 64,000 free medical exams.