PHCC unveils breast cancer awareness campaign

‘Screen For Life’, Qatar’s national breast and bowel cancer screeningprogramme, led by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), haslaunched a nationwide awareness campaign across the country to mark theglobal, annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative.Since the inception of the ‘Screen For Life’ programme in 2016 and untilthe end of July 2017, a total of 11,847 have undergone a free mammogramand 7,627 men and women have taken part in bowel cancer screening.With the aim to see numbers increase during this campaign, ‘Screen ForLife’ will be expanding the screening facilities at Leabaib and RawdatAl Khail health centres to handle increased traffic.This month-long drive titled ‘October means Breast Cancer Screening’ is acomprehensive campaign to be rolled out across the country’s media,including TV, radio, print and social media, to raise awareness of the‘Screen For Life’ programme across Qatar, and urge women to undergo afree mammogram at one of the programme’s three screening suites.To engage with as many people as possible, ‘Screen For Life’ hasimplemented awareness booths in Qatar’s major malls. The team will offerinformation and brochures to visitors and a chance to register theirinformation so the programme’s call centre will schedule them forscreening.The team will also embark on a far-reaching outreach programme oflectures at several governmental and non-governmental entities alongwith the presence of the dedicated mobile screening unit that will offeron-site screening to eligible women aged 45 years and above.“For the second consecutive year, we have launched a major nationwidecampaign to mark the global Breast Cancer Awareness Month movement. Thismonth’s campaign will see us reaching out to a wide cross-section ofQatar community, through numerous mediums with the aim of driving homethe message that early screening is crucial in the detection of cancerand plays a key role in saving lives,” said Dr Shaikha Abu Shaikha,cancer programme manager, PHCC.Dr Abu Shaikha added that titling the campaign ‘October means BreastCancer Screening’ can encourage as many women as possible to takeadvantage of a complimentary mammogram.“We want people to know we are there for them. It is imperative that wecontinue raising breast cancer awareness and is important that they takea proactive approach with their help by contacting the call centre on8001112 and booking a screening at one of our facilities,” she added.