Few diseases possess the power to frighten us as much as cancer does. Even the word itself, made up of two sombre little syllables, is often delivered in muted tones – “The doctor says it’s cancer” – as if saying it aloud risks drawing its malign attention. Tuberculosis, smallpox, plague … all have surrendered their crown to cancer, which persists in its fearful resilience even as we find cures and treatments for many other conditions.
That fear came calling to my family in 2021 when my father was diagnosed with colon cancer. “Your Dad has cancer” – a few little words that, like a bucket of cold water right in the face, very quickly focus your attention and help you, if nothing else, appreciate what really matters in life.
Oncologists and public health figures, more so this month, have been calling for people – particularly those at particular risk of developing the disease – to get screened. March is colorectal cancer awareness month and calling for screenings is responsible and right, but issuing the call and getting people to heed it are two different things.
For millions of people around the world, the opportunity to be screened simply does not exist. If someone lives in a part of the world that has an inadequate and fractured healthcare system, acute medicine is the priority and preventive testing is often at the bottom of the list.
Many other people struggle to pay for early or regular screenings, or are fearful about how much treatment will cost if a cancer diagnosis is made. Research published by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention last year found that although testing was the main reason for the steady decline of colorectal cancer in the past 10 years, “screening rates are generally low among people with low incomes or who lack health insurance”.
Another US study in 2022, this time on cervical and breast cancer, found that common barriers to screening included a “lack of cancer knowledge, cost/inability to pay, lack of health insurance coverage, cultural perceptions, fear, language difficulties, and transportation and time constraints”.
In the GCC too, there are challenges to cancer screening. A 2019 paper published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention found that breast and cervical cancer screening in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait was generally low. Again socio-economic factors were at play, with the research claiming that “marital status, wealth, education, nationality and place of residence are associated with screening uptake, with the lower educated, poor and unmarried having the lowest percentages of uptake".
Even in countries where screening is available and affordable, many people are not getting themselves checked out, or are waiting until they feel unwell before doing so. A report from researchers at the University of Chicago last December found that just 14.1 per cent of all cancers detected in the US were found by screening. The rest were identified after patients reported to doctors with symptoms or were tested for other conditions.
This hesitancy, whatever its causes, can have dire consequences. According to Dr Stephen Grobmyer of the Oncology Institute at Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi: “When it comes to the importance of early cancer screening, you only need to look at the numbers to see just how crucial early detection is.
Quiet and respectful conversations from those closest to us can tip the balance in favour of taking one morning off work to go to the clinic
“If identified early, over 90 per cent of people with some types of bowel, breast and ovarian cancer will survive for at least five years compared to those identified at later stages.”
Despite the advances made in medical technology, some forms of cancer screening remain a challenge. Tests can be invasive, uncomfortable and time consuming. Taking time out of our busy lives to go through this, especially when we have no current health problems or symptoms, is something often relegated to the bottom of the to-do list.
This is where the role of family comes in. Quiet and respectful conversations from those closest to us can tip the balance in favour of taking one morning off work to go to the clinic. Research published in the journal Cancer in 2015 has found that "shared decision-making is an important component of patient-centred care and is associated with improved outcomes" and that "physicians should consider eliciting patients' preferences for family involvement".
Coupled with this is the need for direct and clear advice from doctors. A National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable action plan for US physicians from 2008 put "communication" at the heart of improving screening rates, warning that patients often waited on a recommendation from a health professional before going to get checked, or had to receive several persistent reminders before getting screened.
If there is a way to overcome this reluctance to get screened, it is perhaps in the power of our imagination. Not picturing the worst – itself a major factor that deters people from getting tested – but in imagining a longer, healthier life shared with our loved ones who would like us to stick around for as long as possible.
My father fought hard after his diagnosis. He endured sickening chemo and painful radiotherapy before going through surgery. But with the help of his family, some exceptional nurses, oncologists and surgeons – and no little grit on his own part – he made a full recovery. We were lucky in myriad ways, and not everyone is so fortunate.
Had he been screened years before, perhaps the cancer could have been found sooner and his treatment may have been shorter and less gruelling. One outcome is that I am now a prime candidate for screening, having had a first-degree relative develop colon cancer.
Sadly, it took my father’s disease to make me sit up and take notice of the calls to get screened. No one really wants to think about those two little syllables. But if we can improve access to screening, make it more affordable, develop quicker tests and demystify the process, perhaps more of us will live longer.
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if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
FIGHT%20CARD
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company%20Profile
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Racecard
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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