By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of Dr Amthal Al-Huwaila, Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs, Cancer Aware Nation (CAN) has launched its Breast Cancer Awareness campaign for the 13th consecutive year, themed “Your health is in your examination.” Dr Khalid Al-Ajmi, Undersecretary of the Social Affairs Ministry, emphasized the ministry's support for various NGOs and awareness campaigns aimed at increasing health awareness, especially among women. He urged women to prioritize regular check-ups, highlighting their importance in the early detection of cancer, alongside maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Dr Khalid Al-Saleh, Chairman of the CAN Board said: “For the 13th year in a row, we come together to raise awareness and transform Kuwait into a more developed, cultural, and healthy society. This was once an ambitious dream, but with each passing year, we get closer to achieving it.”

He noted that when he joined the Kuwait Center for Cancer Control (KCCC) in 1983, advanced breast cancer cases made up over 70 percent of diagnoses. Thanks to increased awareness, the rate of late referrals has dropped to nearly 30 percent. Women whose cancer is detected early have a remarkable recovery rate of over 85 percent, often without needing a mastectomy, allowing them to return to their normal lives.

Dr Hussa Al-Shaheen, a CAN Board Member in charge of the “Your health is in your examination” initiative, expressed pride in launching the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign for the 13th consecutive year under the official patronage of Dr Al-Huwaila. The campaign, she said, has trained nearly 152,000 women in self-examination in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

CAN's strategy for promoting awareness involves working with ministries, NGOs, and private sector companies, explained Dr Al-Shaheen. Recognizing the significance of awareness activities, CAN has seen many women become trained in self-examinations and mammograms, particularly those over 40. The campaign “Your Health is in Your Examination” launched with advertisements in public spaces, which encourage participation in the “Pink October” activities, which run from October 1 to 31. This year, the campaign starts with the Mubarakiya gathering in collaboration with the municipality and coordination with the Ministry of Interior.

Dr Al-Shaheen noted that there are women who have fully recovered from cancer, and CAN seeks their assistance in spreading hope to women diagnosed with the disease. Many of these survivors volunteer to provide accurate information about the disease, which is now considered a chronic condition rather than the death sentence it once was perceived to be, she said.

CAN also places significant emphasis on sports, establishing a Heido team for young men and a separate team for women, as they believe that a lack of physical activity is one of the risk factors for cancer.

Additionally, there will be a tennis tournament for blind women titled “Pink Steps,” held in collaboration with the Blinds Society at the Boulevard.