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ONE of Bahrain's top nurses will soon be able to offer the most knowledgeable aspects on caring for women with breast cancer ... thanks to the Think Pink charity campaign.
Shahzalan Ibrahim Fadhul has been a nurse at Salmaniya Medical Centre since 1986 - and is now a senior nurse at the Department of Oncology.
Her undying passion for her vocation is evident in her relentless quest to update her skills and apply her knowledge on her patients.
Nurse Shahzalan has been sponsored by Think Pink to complete her Masters degree in nursing from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University in Bahrain (RCSI-MUB).
"I was planning to pursue my Masters degree by taking out a bank loan but Think Pink has given me the opportunity by offering a scholarship.
"Ever since I started working at Salmaniya's Oncology Department, there has been a steady increase in the number of cancer patients. Especially in the last five years there has been an increase in breast cancer and women as young as in their 20s have been diagnosed with the illness," said the Bahraini nurse.
Nurse Shahzalan is particularly interested in the field of oncology because her aunt, who cared for her when she was young, died of cancer which prompted her to focus her energy in the care of cancer patients.
She completed her specialisation in oncology nursing from the UK's Bristol Oncology Centre in 1996. In 2006, nurse Shahzalan completed a health care management course from the RCSI-MUB and after two years she finished her B.Sc. in general nursing from RCSI-MUB.
She commenced her Masters degree at RCSI in May and will complete it after two years as a part-time student. The focus of her degree is oncology specialising in breast care and how to improve the quality of life in cancer patients.
Apart from her demanding work schedule, nurse Shahzalan on her own initiative and in her own time conducts awareness lectures in mosques, ma'atams and various clubs in her area.
The nurse, a resident of Al Seef district, explained: "Breast self-examination is very important and I show the women how to check themselves on a prosthesis. I also try and educate the women about the risk factors like strong family history.
"Being a Bahraini helps me to get through to the local women who would normally be shy to go up to any other person for information. I know the cultural sensitivities and most importantly there is no language barrier which is why a lot of women come up to me with their queries.
Nurse Shahzalan's career, along with her ongoing studies, is demanding to say the least but she has persevered with the support of her husband, Abdul Aziz, who is a teacher of Mathematics at Salmaniya Boys School, and her four sons, Anas (20), Ali (18), Mohammad (17) and Bader (nine).
She has travelled regionally and internationally to attend workshops and lectures on cancer and its treatment. "An effective way to combat cancer is through awareness and knowledge and I encourage all my staff nurses to spread the message of breast examination and general health care in their community," she said.
The Think Pink charity will be hosting an array of awareness and fund-raising events throughout the month of October and is being supported in its endeavours by GulfWeekly.
