UAE Cancer Awareness Drive: Pink Caravan Calls On Riders To Join Their Nationwide Tour

The UAE will start off the 11th edition of the Pink Caravan Ride (PCR) on the 4th  of February, which is also World Cancer Day. The campaign is organized by a Non-Profit Organization in the UAE known as the Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP).

The Pink Caravan Ride was launched in 2011 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Founder, and Patron of Friends of Cancer Patients.

UAE Cancer Awareness Drive

It is a seven-day campaign that will wrap on February 10 and in these seven days, it will try to raise awareness about the most prevalent and preventable types of cancers like breast cancer, skin, testicular, prostate, and colon.

There will be different kinds of free breast cancer medical screenings using the clinical method, ultrasound, pap test, and mammograms for both women and men, as there is a general myth that men can’t get breast cancer. The Pink Caravan is registered as an independent medical facility under the Ministry of Health and Prevention with license no: 7414 from the year 2018.  

Reem BinKaram, Chairperson of the Pink Caravan Ride Higher Steering Committee said that the campaign focuses on making people aware of the different ways of combating cancer like early detection, self-examination, and making sure we lead a healthy lifestyle that can help our bodies to develop natural immunity.

She also noted that the 11th edition of the Pink Caravan Ride coincides with World Cancer Day and this also symbolizes how the united global efforts of medical experts and citizens can tackle the issue of cancer and its effect on society. 

BinKaram also stressed the importance of the cooperation of the Emirati community in the success of the campaign. She welcomed all individuals, institutions, and horse riders to be part of the campaign as this will further boost the spirit of the campaign and motivate them to continue the huge task of creating proper cancer awareness.

She has expressed her confidence in the community that this time too the Pink Caravan Ride shall complete its annual ride through the seven emirates making a positive impact throughout the community. 

Cancer has been viewed as a dangerous disease worldwide and the UAE also has its sets of myths about the disease. It is important that these myths about the disease get busted and people become rationally vigilant about the nature of the different types of cancer and how they can be dealt with with proper knowledge and timely intervention.

One of the main advantages of this campaign is its mobile nature which will create a sense of awareness in women and men who are otherwise negligent to go to health centers and get the tests done. With a campaign that reaches their doorsteps, there is no other way than to comply with the efforts of the Pink Caravan team which is ultimately aimed at the well-being of the community members.

According to reports, to date around 910 volunteers have spent almost 400,000 working hours towards the PCR campaign. Around 820 equestrians from all over the world have also been a major part of the campaign covering a total distance of about 1,950 kilometers.

The PCR has also successfully completed 986 medical clinics with over 75,000 free screenings which consist of 13,000 screenings with men.

This is a huge achievement in the efforts of the PCR campaign and can be easily termed as one of the best mobile screening campaigns in the world. 

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The campaign organized by the Sharjah-based civil society organization has garnered huge publicity in the past years and is considered to be an important annual event in the UAE. One of the core missions of FOCP is to set up an effective and sustainable medical clinic that meets all necessary international best practices and which will be resourceful for both patients and employees.

It is one of the successful awareness programs in which all important branches of society come together that includes government institutions too to increase awareness and sensitivity around the issue of cancer. The committee has invited equestrians who are above sixteen years of age and who possess an appreciable level of horse riding skill and experience to be part of the program.

The riders will also have to pass a technical and proficiency test to make sure that they are physically and mentally fit to ride along for seven days with a daily target of twenty kilometers. Both male and female riders can be part of the event and they can register online at www.focp.ae/rider-registration. A total of hundred horse riders would be part of the campaign that will be riding across the seven emirates in the span of seven days.