Doha
Qatar Airways has celebrated Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a series of initiatives and activities to raise both awareness and funds for the disease that affects women all around the world.
The airline’s efforts were recognised at the Beauty & Beast Awards, held in Doha recently, where Qatar Airways presented a cheque for QR83,000. The money, which was raised through bake sales held at various locations in Doha, will go towards Qatar Cancer Society.
During the course of activities, Qatar Airways staff took to their kitchens to whip up a number of sweets and goodies that were sold over the course of the last week in October. Simultaneously, the airline organised a series of workshops and awareness-raising events to help alert staff to the dangers of the disease and how periodic self-assessment and early diagnosis are vital to successful treatment.
Qatar Airways senior vice-president (customer experience) Rossen Dimitrov said, “It was such a great honour to be able to hand over a cheque from Qatar Airways to Qatar Cancer Society in support of breast cancer research and awareness. We also held information sessions for our female employees, where they had the opportunity to speak to survivors and ask questions.”
Female employees were encouraged to take part in one of three information sessions held on October 28. In addition to survivors sharing their stories, guest speakers such as Qatar Airways senior vice-president (HR employee services) Nabeela Fakhri and head of medical services Dr Soha al-Bayat helped advise employees on how to deal with the disease.
Participants also had the opportunity to watch a video created by the airline featuring one of its employees, cabin services director Mylah Loring. The video, which is featured on the airline’s multiple social media channels, shares the story of Mylah’s breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and conquering of the disease.
As explained during the Qatar Airways information sessions, women are highly encouraged to perform monthly breast self-examination, with a professional breast self-examination conducted by their GP or gynaecologist at least once a year.
Once women reach the age of 40 years old, they are encouraged to get a mammogram every two years.
