Family Planning Association Event… Various activities to raise awareness of breast cancer

More than 2,800 women benefited from the awareness sessions on early detection of breast cancer that were provided by the Family Planning Association during the activities of the “International Pink Month”. Some 180 sessions were held in the association’s clinics spread across 13 governorates. The medical teams in the mobile clinics provided 69 awareness sessions, of which 1,200 women benefited according to Head of the Association Dr. Hazar Al-Miqdad.

Al-Miqdad indicated that the association provides early detection services for breast cancer through echography throughout the year, in addition to reproductive health services through 45 gynecology clinics and 23 mobile medical teams.

She pointed out that October, the “International Pink Month” for awareness of early detection of breast cancer, was an additional opportunity to focus more on health awareness and education, so that the culture of early detection becomes a community culture.

During a cultural awareness event organized by the association in Damascus at the end of the Pink Month activities, Dr. Al-Miqdad stressed that the association’s clinic in Al-Zabadiyah area in Aleppo provides a mammogram service in addition to an echography examination service. Thirty-eight women benefited from this service during the current month, while 87 women benefited from echography. She confirmed the association’s endeavor to provide a breast mammogram device to all its clinics in the governorates.

Talking about some cases of healing, Lamia Hosari and Marah Khadr, breast cancer survivors, spoke about their journey of treatment and recovery, stressing that will is the basis of recovery along with commitment to treatment and early detection to discover the disease in time.

Lawyer Khader, 24 years old, pointed out that after one year of treatment she returned to her normal life and she is today a trainee and volunteer at the Association’s Youth Coordination Center in Damascus. Mrs. Hosari indicated that after recovery, she became a member of the Breast Diseases Association. She carries the message of awareness of the importance of early detection as a primary goal in her life.

Head of the Syrian Society of Breast Diseases Dr. Nuri Al-Mudaris, head of the medical committee at the Family Planning Association, considered that early detection of breast cancer, which is the most common and dangerous type of cancer for women, is an essential step for saving women with the disease.

Al-Mudaris indicated that the “Pink Month” is an opportunity to raise awareness to the importance of early detection and to introduce methods of detection and the risk factors that require periodic commitment to conduct it in centers and hospitals, which is provided free of charge throughout the year.

A theatrical sketch presented by the association’s youth committee within the event highlighted the positive results of early detection of breast cancer and the need to follow up any symptom or disease condition to ensure recovery and the role of the family and society in supporting cancer patients.

It is noteworthy that the Family Planning Association was established in 1974. It engaged in development affairs, as it takes care of family and women’s affairs and provides free health and social services. It is a Member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

Amal Farhat