Kuwait Times

Published Date: October 11, 2009
By Rawan Khalid, Staff writer

KUWAIT: Over 150 women participated in the first walkathon held under the slogan 'For you my lady' at the Avenues Mall yesterday. The awareness campaign was sponsored by the Breast Care Kuwait. Several Members of Parliament also participated in the walkathon to encourage people and spread awareness about the spread of breast cancer in Kuwait. Dr. Nouralhuda Karamani, Head of the Breast Imaging Unit at Al-Sabah Hospital in Kuwait, and the founder of Breast Cancer Kuwait said, "Our first walkathon supports
the cause of breast cancer and actually spreads one important message - early detection under the slogan 'For you my lady.'

Every lady is a queen in her own right. We are really looking forward to encouraging every women in Kuwait, over the age of forty to go to a center and receive a mammogram test. A lot of people from different cultural backgrounds come here to support the case. Every woman here who participated in the walkathon today actually spreads breast cancer and can be treated. Women can survive for a long time because 85 percent of women who get discovered early will survive for a really long time," Karamani added.


If you get a mammogram done, you're going to be okay more than 85 percent of the time. The aim is really to emphasize early detection, save life and every woman present here today will tell her friend circle. People will understand and we are trying to encourage people. We are targeting at least 3,000 this October," Karamani concluded.

MP Dr. Maasouma Al-Mubarak said, "I participated today as a believer in the awareness campaign. Cancer has been afflicting women. It is because of this that an awareness campaign should be held. It will help raise general awareness. It is more dangerous to not perform checkup early. This campaign is a message to all the people so that they can survive longer.

MP Dr. Aseel Al Awadhi was also present during the event, "My participation today is actually a part of my drive to support such campaigns. This is because spreading awareness regarding early detection of breast cancer is fundamental now. We lack such awareness in a society like Kuwait. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that early detection of breast cancer can save lives. It is a ten- minute process. These ten minutes will ensure their longevity for several years. I really hope that women will coo
perate and respond to the mammogram tests because it is really important.

Um Tawfeeq, a breast cancer survivor and a housewife said, "In 2005, I went in for a checkup. I felt something abnormal and they discovered that I am a breast cancer patient. I did not tell anybody about it. The doctors were so honest with me, I told my children, gradually." "Afterwards, they told me that I need to undergo surgery. I thanked God, started with chemotherapy. I followed the advice of all the women who had asked me to perform checkups for a maximum of two times in a year." Um Tawfeeq added.

Dr. Mervat Al-Saleh, Head of Surgical Department at the Kuwait University, College of Medicine And Senior Consultant at Mubarak Hospital said, "I am participating in the 'For you my lady' campaign for the sake of improving the care administered to our patients. We try as much as possible to encourage ladies to come and be examined. Come early, be diagnosed early," he said.
In some cases, even if we hope that the woman does not lose her breast and her life. However in cases where the tumor has to be removed, we as surgeons, offer plastic surgery which does not differ from the normal breast. They will provide good results," Dr. Al-Saleh added.

Usually most women are expected to take mammograms after the age of 40. But there are some cases were women after the age of 30 have to undergo tests too. We would encourage women to perform self-examinations on the fifth day of their period once they cross their twenties. They should also take mammograms after the age of 40 every two years, if they there is no case of family history. The check should be performed every year once the woman has entered her fifties." Dr. Al-Saleh explained.