The Director General of Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FoCP), Dr. Sawsan Al Madhihas announced that the charity has provided care andtreatment for 82 male and female cancer patients during the first half of this year. This is in addition to the 1,300 other patients who have received treatment and support from FoCP and who have been provided with the necessary healthcare over the years as part of FoCP’s remit to provide the best possible care for cancer patients to give them the best chance of recovery.Dr Al Madhi added that arrangements were made with partner hospitals to receive the patients and provide medical treatment, with all costs being covered by the charity.Dr Al Madhi said, “Patients who have benefited from the charity’s services during the period from the beginning of January and the end of June includes men and women from different nationalities and age groups residing in the UAE, who were transferred to a number of hospitals in various parts of the country to undergo tests and receive the necessary treatments, depending on the case and stage of the disease reached in the patient.”
Al Madhi stressed that many cancers were highly curable if caught early and said that the charity’s awareness campaigns had contributed towards the number of people who were coming forward for treatment. Since its inception the charity has focused on raising awareness about the risks of cancer and the need for early detection though many programs, events, and activities across the UAE. The charity primarily seeks to raise awareness about early detection, and to challenge any stigmas relating to cancer diagnosis or treatment and thus contribute to increasing the cure rates for people with cancer in the UAE.Among those who received treatment this year were 50 female patients from various emirates, a rate of 61 percent of all cases, followed by men who amounted to 30 cases at a rate of 36 percent, while the total number of child patients who benefited from the charity’s services amounted to only two cases at a rate of 3%.
Al Madhi pointed out that the charity relies heavily on volunteer doctors to diagnose these cases, and on hospitals and medical centers that collaborate with it. “I’d like to thank all partners who contributed to the success of FoCP’s work, including sponsors, institutions, companies, civil society organizations, donors, and volunteers. Every dirham donated has deeply impacted and changed the lives of many patients for the better. Because of these donations, whether large or small, we are able to provide constant care, treatment, and more importantly, hope, to cancer patients who have no other means of support. Thus, we value the contributions of our partners from all sectors and groups and their role in providing treatment for our patients,” Dr. Al Madhi said.Based on the cases reported at the charity during the first half of this year, breast cancer was the highest form of cancer among women, followed by rectal cancer, leukemia and metastatic cancer, chronic blood cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, and lymphoma (not Hodgkin’s lymphoma).
Prostate cancer was the most prevalent among men, followed by thyroid cancer, chronic blood cancer, lymphoma (not Hodgkin’s lymphoma), rectal cancer, liver cancer, leukemia, and throat cancer. Among the children, the charity diagnosed one case of lung cancer and another of Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in the body’s supporting tissue.In terms of age groups, the charity received three cases of the (0-15 years) category, four cases of the (16-25 years) category, 13 cases of the (26-35 years) category, 15 cases of the (36-45 years) category, 25 cases of the (46-55 years) category, and 22 cases of the 56 years and above category.
FoCP has launched initiatives and campaigns aimed at spreading awareness of the disease and the need for early detection, which amounted to 30 awareness events in the first half of this year. The charity also organized events aimed at providing psychological and emotional support to cancer patients and their families, including last April’s “Umrah for Cancer Patients" initiative in collaboration with the Sharjah Charity Association. There is also the "Colour My World" that holds a range of morale boosting activities for women with breast cancer. Other initiatives seek to raise financial and in-kind donations for the patients, while others seek to provide moral support for patients and their families, and give them hope.
Friends of Cancer Patients was founded in 1999 under the guidance and care of Her Highness SheikhaJawaherBint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC and Founder and Royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients Charity.FOCP's primary focus has been to promote awareness around the six early detectable cancers which are breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, colorectal cancer, and skin cancer, under the umbrella of “KASHF,” which was launched by the charity to provide free services for the early detection of these cancers, and the cost of treatment for all patients.