Cancer awareness campaign kicks off

SHARJAH // The breast cancer screening caravan that will traverse the country set off from Sharjah yesterday.

The Pink Caravan, which aims to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer, will travel to remote regions and major cities as part of a 10-day horseback journey.

A team of 180 doctors, nurses, volunteers and officials have signed on as riders in the second annual campaign, which will make stops across the Emirates and finish in Abu Dhabi on April 14.

Riders in groups of 15 to 18 will perform free mammograms for men and women, and collect data for a national cancer registry.

The ride will also encourage residents to receive more regular tests.

Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed, Ruler of Sharjah, attended the launch at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club. Day one ended at Al Dhaid Hospital and on the second day the caravan was to move to Masafi.

The Pink Caravan is working to raise funds for a mammogram clinic that will provide free tests for women in remote areas. The initiative's goal is to raise Dh15million; they have so far received Dh3.1m.

Organisers hope to screen 5,000 women, up from the 1,600 who were examined during the ride last year. This year's route will target the same rural areas visited last year, but organisers plan to expand to more locations.

The campaign will run annually until 2014.

jthomas@thenational.ae