By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Dr Khalid Al-Saleh, Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Cancer Aware Nation (CAN), announced a monthlong breast cancer awareness campaign in October to mark International Breast Cancer Awareness Day on Oct 21. Speaking on the prevalence of breast cancer in Kuwait, Saleh said the disease is more common among women in the country.

It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women with an estimated 2.1 million new cases being diagnosed each year and representing 24.2 percent of all cancer diagnoses among women. Kuwait Cancer Control Center registered a total of 602 breast cancer cases in 2017 among - 37.1 percent among Kuwaiti women and 40.2 percent among non-Kuwaitis.

Dr. Hussa Al-Shaheen

Meanwhile, CAN board member Dr Hussa Majid Al-Shaheen, who heads the initiative said: "CAN hopes to address all types of cancers and aims at raising awareness and educating women about the disease." She said CAN has carried out the breast cancer campaign annually since 2006 with planned activities such as lectures with livestreaming facilities to encourage participation from other GCC member states as well. Other planned activities include exhibitions, conferences, workshops, press conferences and media interviews.

Shaheen also spoke of extended CAN programs to be carried out in the future, where campaigns would be conducted during events in coordination with several malls. She added that women who undergo mammograms at private hospitals in Kuwait during the campaign will be eligible for a special discount.