FOCP Leads Community Initiatives During The 10th Gulf Cancer Awareness Week In February 2025

Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) is spearheading a month-long initiative in February 2025 to commemorate the 10th Gulf Cancer Awareness Week. This series of activities underscores FOCP's dedication to cancer advocacy, patient support, and community education. The theme, #YourHealthInYourAwareness, unites patients, survivors, and the UAE community to enhance awareness about cancer prevention and treatment.

FOCP kicked off its early detection initiatives during the first two weekends of February. On February 1st, they participated in Cancer Run 2025 organised by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Their mobile clinic offered clinical breast exams for women aged 20 and above. A week later, on February 8th, they joined a cancer-run event at Dubai Design District, again providing free breast screenings through their mobile clinic.

In collaboration with the Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, FOCP illuminated significant landmarks in Sharjah with the Gulf Cancer Awareness Week logo during the Sharjah Light Festival. The House of Wisdom and Sharjah Museums Authority also supported this cause. The Sharjah Art Museum was lit in orange for World Cancer Day, while the House of Wisdom glowed purple, symbolising cancer awareness.

Aisha Al Mulla, Director of FOCP, highlighted the importance of these initiatives: "The 10th Gulf Cancer Awareness Week is crucial to reaffirm our commitment to raising awareness, fostering community involvement, and ensuring that patients receive the support they need. Year after year, FOCP has strengthened its contributions to this vital initiative, expanding our reach and impact through multi-faceted participation and collaborations. By leveraging data-driven insights and measurable outcomes, we continuously refine our approach to ensure our advocacy and support efforts are as effective as possible. The insights we gather from our strategic programmes guide our future initiatives, allowing us to develop targeted interventions that better serve cancer patients and promote awareness at a national and regional level."

FOCP actively engaged in the opening ceremony of the 10th Gulf Cancer Awareness Week held in Kuwait. This event brought together regional cancer advocacy groups to bolster cross-border efforts against cancer. Additionally, FOCP contributed to a panel session at the 3rd International UAE Rare Disease Society Congress. Discussions focused on rare cancers' impact and advocacy's role in addressing patient needs.

The organisation also took part in the Friends of Arthritis Patients' 12th Annual Marathon at Al Mamzar in Sharjah. Here too, their advanced mobile clinic provided essential screenings for participants and attendees alike.

Through these comprehensive efforts throughout February 2025, FOCP continues to strengthen its role in promoting cancer awareness across communities while supporting patients effectively.

With inputs from WAM