Sharjah: The 10-day Pink Caravan Ride wrapped up its 10 day breast cancer awareness campaign on Wednesday after screening more than 5,000 people across all seven emirates in the UAE. The initiative, a pan-UAE breast cancer awareness drive by the Friends of Cancer Patients charity (FoCP), has now screened approximately 35,000 men and woman of all nationalities since its inception five years ago.
The nationwide horseback trek covered 17.3km on its final day of the tour, which started from Shaikh Zayed Mosque, riding through Zayed Sports City, Yas Waterworld and ending at Galleria. The riders stopped to distribute educational brochures and pamphlets and direct community members to the mobile clinics to get free examinations conducted by medical and nursing staff.
In its fifth year, the Pink Caravan was attended by his His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, among others.
Ameera BinKaram, President of the Board of Trustees, founding member of FoCP and Chairperson of the Higher Organising Committee of the Pink Caravan Ride, said she believed this year’s major success was in helping to break the barrier of fear and concern in some community members who were reluctant to undergo examinations for fear of discovering they have the disease. She pointed out that mobile clinics saw dozens of entire families who came to benefit from early detection screenings. “Even children contributed to the Pink Caravan Ride by encouraging their parents to have a free medical examination in order to ensure they have the best possible chance of living a long and healthy life.”
A highlight of this year’s ride was the participation of world-class jockeys, as well as top CEO’s from Dubai who joined the ride. The Pink Caravan also organised a host of educational and awareness-raising events, most notably the “Pink Bite” at Galleries Lafayette in Dubai Mall where a new record was set for the highest price paid for a burger at Dh25,960 ($7,000) during a charity auction. In total the event raised Dh72,180 thanks to Pink Caravan ambassadors who were divided into three teams to prepare burgers and sell them at the highest price.
