Pink October stresses efforts to tackle breast cancer

Think Pink Bahrain is spearheading awareness campaigns in the Kingdom as the world marks October as the month for awareness on breast cancer.

Speaking to Tribune, Think Pink board member Julie Sparkel, said the NGO has been dedicating every second to raise awareness on the disease.

“Our initiatives are very similar every year where we aim to empower people at grass root levels through collaboration with local affiliates to continue to promote the importance of education and screening programs and community-based outreach projects.”

Dr Sara Al Reefy, the first female Arab surgeon to qualify as an Oncoplastic breast surgeon from London, said breast cancer rates in the kingdom are quite high and in fact, they are the highest in the GCC and the sixth highest around the world.

“My mission as a breast cancer surgeon is to save lives as much as I can by raising awareness through early detection. The importance of having a mammogram on annual basis is mandatory and every woman above the age of 40 should remember this.”