Pink Caravan completes journey in Abu Dhabi

The Pink Caravan that started from Sharjah successfully completed the journey in Abu Dhabi recently. The purpose of the caravan is to create awareness about the breast cancer and spread a message of hope among all residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The campaign was launched in 2011 under the patronage of Ruler of Sharjah Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and wife of the Ruler of Sharjah Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi.

While talking to The News, Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi said the Pink Caravan ride has been helping the society not only to create awareness about breast cancer but detecting the cancer patients and providing them free healthcare facilities. She said the scanning of the women has been increasing every year but the cases of cancer have decreased tremendously due to the pink caravan initiative.

At the end of a 10-day campaign, the 7th Pink Caravan Ride (PCR) broke its previous records by offering free screenings, mammograms and expert medical advice to 7,108 people, the highest in its seven-year history.

The numbers include 5,991 women and 1,117 men, of which 1,583 were Emiratis and 5,570 were residents, who were received at 123 clinics operating in seven emirates by a team of 65 medical experts.

Many Pakistani doctors were also part of the pink caravan and helping the women to spread the message of hope. Explaining about her role and pink caravan campaign, Dr Sumaiya who is from Pakistan, told The News that she is proud to be part of the campaign and wished to launch the pink caravan campaign in Pakistan so the underprivileged women of the country could benefit from this unique campaign.

The closing ceremony was held at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan. He thanked the wife of the ruler of Sharjah Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi for her glorious efforts in developing the health of the UAE’s society in the most practical and effective ways.

Chairperson of the Higher Organising Committee of the Pink Caravan Reem bin Karam said that Pink Caravan has become a unique national example of community engagement. “We meet tonight to conclude the Pink Caravan ride. In fact, we are all here to renew our spirits for another march of hope,” she said.

At the closing ceremony, 10-minute short film that captured the essence of the year’s journey across the seven emirates, raising awareness about breast cancer and the encouraging of people to come forward and get screened, was shown.

The 7th PCR witnessed many firsts. Seven fixed clinics were inaugurated in the seven emirates, which offered free screenings to 2,699 patients. Their charity fundraiser, Pink Bite, sold one burger for $10,000; the highest amount of money ever paid for a burger. Children's ride was organised for the first time in the campaign’s history, to sensitise youth about the risks and remedies of cancer from an early age.