NAGHAM KARACA

Gaza- The breast cancer awareness campaigns launched by health organizations and non-governmental organizations in the Gaza Strip in October continue. In the beginning of October, the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA) launched a campaign named, “Early detection... Hope and Life” to raise awareness about breast cancer. The campaign will last until the end of October.

“Launching the campaign is a social responsibility for us”

Speaking about their campaign, Iman Khuwaihi, project coordinator of the CFTA, said, “Every October, we make efforts to provide services and opportunities to women and girls. By launching awareness-raising campaigns and activities, we aim to create a health space for women and girls. Launching this campaign is a social responsibility for us.”

“The association provides psychological and social support”

Indicating that the association also provides psychological and social support to women and girls, Iman Khuwaihi said, “We hold workshops on early detection of breast cancer in order to provide psychological and social support to the breast cancer survivors. We also carry out activities to empower women and their role in society. In particular, we work to facilitate access to us by those living in remote areas. We also work hard to provide legal and health services to them.”

Speaking about their campaign, she said, “Our ‘Pink Bus’ has travelled to many rural areas and universities in the Gaza Strip. We have distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about breast cancer among women and girls. We have provided early detection clinics in the pink bus. In addition, we have held seminars in many parts of the Gaza Strip to draw attention to the importance of the early detection of breast cancer.”

“We will carry out entertainment activities”

Iman Khuwaihi told us that their activities will continue until the end of October. “We will carry out entertainment activities. For instance, we plan to decorate the rooms of cancer patients at hospitals and give them presents to improve their morale and to support them.”

“They need financial support”

Underlining that cancer patients face many problems, particularly financial problems, Iman Khuwaihi said, “Many women cannot afford to buy medicines. Financial problems affect their psychology and cause the spread of the disease. For this reason, cancer patients need financial support.”

In the Gaza Strip, there are 1.000 cancer patients. Women make up 53% of cancer patients. More than 32% of women cancer patients suffer from breast cancer.