Reaching out to young

The Breast Cancer Awareness campaign is moving ahead full throttle in Bahrain and is reaching out to a younger audience in the hope of educating both daughters and mothers in the merits of early detection and self examination.

"Providing information and knowledge to girls is a way to empower them that will hopefully take them into their adult life and give them the confidence to look after their overall health," said Adrienne Buck, breast care nurse specialising in breast cancer. It was with this premise that Mrs Buck conducted a lecture for teenage girls and their mothers at the Bahrain School where her daughter, Jessica, 15, is a pupil.

"Apart from discussing breast development, breast health and breast cancer awareness in the presentation, it was a novel way to reach out to mothers through their daughters and open a channel of communication between them whereby breast health could be discussed with more openness," she added.

Mrs Buck also runs a monthly breast cancer support group at the World Beat Fitness Centre in Janabiyah.

She recommends self examinations from age 18 but encourages all girls to start being familiar with their breasts once they start developing to encourage good habits as they get older. "By the simple acronym, TLC - touch, look and check - it is imperative to become familiar with your own breasts and know what is normal for you," she said.

"Consequently it is easier to detect changes, remembering that nine out of 10 are not breast cancer but if it is, then the earlier it is detected then the better the outcome."

The BCA campaign is symbolised by wearing pink ribbons worldwide. The pink ribbon represents the international recognition of support, information and resources for women affected by breast cancer, remembering those lost to the disease, honouring survivors and supporting the progress together in defeating the disease.

This year, spurred by the Pakistani Women's Association (PWA), Pakistan School is showing its solidarity with Breast Cancer Awareness month by forming a human ribbon in its school grounds on Wednesday, October 29.

"PWA is sponsoring pink scarves for 300 girls to form the iconic breast cancer ribbon. In addition, we will be sending home 2,500 self-examination leaflets for students' mothers in Urdu and English to reach out to a wider audience who typically would not have access to such information," said Mary Ahmed, president of PWA.

Last year during October, PWA arranged free mammography for housemaids at the International Hospital of Bahrain. "Sixty housemaids underwent screening and were advised on how to do self-examination," added Mrs Ahmed.

Breast Cancer is the leading cause of cancer in females worldwide with one in eight women being diagnosed with it by the age of 85.

Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and every 12 minutes a woman loses her life to it. Worldwide over 1.2 million cases are identified each year, including one in every 100 males. "We have displayed information on our notice board about breast cancer and are pleased to support the cause that is aimed towards the welfare of our girls and their family members," said Professor Muhammad Ali Khan, principal of Pakistan School in Isa Town.