In a concerted effort to bolster the fight against breast cancer Friends of Cancer Patients FOCP has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding MOU with Saqr Hospital an affiliate of Emirates Health Services The aim is to amplify awareness campaigns for early breast cancer detection and to expand the spectrum of services available to women diagnosed with this condition Under this collaborative initiative FOCP will assume a pivotal role in covering treatment expenses for specific community segments A joint committee comprising representatives from both entities will oversee this endeavour encompassing awareness campaigns alongside the provision of medical staff and essential equipment for early breast cancer screening The signing of the MoU endorsed by Aisha Al Mulla Director of FOCP and Dr Muna Al Ayyan Consultant Breast Surgeon and Director of Saqr Hospital reinforces bilateral ties in breast cancer awareness and early detection efforts Reflecting on the significance of the MoU Aisha Al Mulla remarked At FOCP we are deeply committed to fostering robust partnerships and amplifying collaborative endeavours withinstitutions hospitals and organisations at the forefront of the cancer battle particularly against breast cancer Through a series of strategic agreements and MoUs we aim to consolidate national endeavours aimed at curbing the proliferation of breast cancer and substantially alleviating its impact on those affected by this debilitating disease Dr Muna Al Ayyan echoed these sentiments stating The MoU signifies a pivotal milestone in the fight against breast cancer It bolsters our awareness campaigns which are geared towards identifying breast cancer understanding its aetiology and underscoring the significance of early detection for more efficacious treatment outcomes We extend our gratitude to FOCP for their unwavering support of our vision and endeavours Their substantial contribution towards defraying a portion of the treatment costs is invaluable The MoUstipulatesthat Saqr Hospital will provide medical and administrative teams to support the mobile clinic campaigns offering the necessary support and conducting medical consultations along with free examinations to aid in the early detection of breast cancer This includes providing mammograms and ultrasound examinations as required during the awareness campaigns Underthe memorandum Saqr Hospitalcommits to providing medical and administrative teams to cover the mobile clinic campaigns and provide support when needed offering medical consultation and free examinations for early detection of breast cancer including mammogram and ultrasound examinations when required during the awareness campaigns completing diagnostic examinationsto include laboratory samples for suspected cases and providing treatment services either through the hospital or by referral to one of the accredited oncology centres in the country by agreement between the two parties by the joint committee Meanwhile FOCP will organise awareness campaigns focused on early detection It will also supply a mobile clinic and medical staff as requested by Saqr Hospital for use in its awareness campaigns Additionally FOCPwillhelpcovermedicalexpenses forspecificsegments of patients as agreed with the hospital Finally women displaying clear symptoms of breast cancer will be transferred directly to Saqr Hospital for fast-track diagnosis bypassing the breast cancer early detection screening In 2023, the Friends of Cancer Patients made significant strides in supporting cancer patients and their families The Sharjah-based international civil society organisation provided financial support amounting to Dhs7.2 million to 323 patients suffering from 55 different types of cancer including 246 women 55 men and 22 children according to WAM Additionally FOCP organised 25 initiatives to bolster moral support for 850 patients and their families while their awareness campaigns reached millions of people in the country and worldwide The societytargeted more than 3,000 individuals through ten community events and another ten undertheir”Kashf”initiative.Furthermore, activities included five events focused on childhood cancer awareness four on lung health one onmen health and a remote event for skin health awareness Additionally 400 events were conducted by the medical clinics under the Pink Caravan initiative Gulf Today Staff Reporter