Healthcare | Saturday 24 February, 2018 12:54 am |

Pink Caravan Ride, the annual pan-UAE breast cancer awareness campaign, was launched in 2011 under the vision and guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, and Founder and Royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), to heighten people’s knowledge of breast cancer and make them aware about the difference early detection can make in successfully treating the disease.  

Over the past seven years, thousands have benefited from the free medical services offered by the campaign, whose clinical cadres and administrative committees have dedicated numerous volunteer hours to the cause. Since its inception, a total of 48,874 women and men have benefited from free medical examinations and consultations worth AED 28.3 million.

Such a remarkable outcome would not have been possible without the unfailing volunteerism of the Pink Caravan's unsung heroes including doctors, nurses, administrative and supervisory committees, riders and volunteers who join the campaign from across the UAE and represent diverse nationalities. These volunteers have invested a total of 280,000 hours in selfless community service – hours that add up to working 24 hours straight for 32 years.

These brave volunteers have aligned their efforts with Pink Caravan’s mission to achieve one goal – combat breast cancer, heighten community awareness and disperse misconceptions related to the disease.

32 years of selfless giving

The Pink Caravan Ride would have remained a dream had doctors, nurses, volunteers, riders, administrators and volunteers from across the nation wouldn’t have considered the campaign’s objective their own, and dedicated 280,000 volunteer hours, equivalent to 32 years of 24/7 volunteering to the cause. This reflects the overall sentiment towards humanitarian causes in the UAE, which is known for the kind of charitable giving that surpasses religion, race, ethnicity or any such consideration.

Medical cadres and volunteers

With regard to the Pink Caravan’s medical team and staff members at mobile clinics, the average number participating medical staff members each year is 83. The average working hours per volunteer is 15 hours a day, bringing the total hours to 165 hours per person in 11 days and 13,695 hours in total. The seven-year cumulative comes to 95,865 hours.

The Pink Caravan Ride volunteering responsibilities range from caring for the horses to participating in the ride. Other responsibilities include ensuring that mobile clinic locations are ready to receive the public. They also offer technical and logistical support needed by teams accompanying the ride.

The average working hours per volunteer is 14 hours a day, making it 154 hours over the 11 days of the Pink Caravan Ride. With a total of 700 volunteers participating in the ride over the past seven years, over 107,800 hours have been dedicated.

Riders and administrators

With respect to the Pink Caravan’s riders, the average working hours per rider is 13 hours a day, making it 143 hours over the 11-day ride. A total of 492 male and female riders have participated in the seven rides, dedicating 70,499 hours to the campaign.

Charitable efforts are not limited to field work, but extend to include administrative, supervisory and regulatory works undertaken by administrative bodies and subcommittees overseeing the Pink Caravan Ride who hold weekly meetings, starting in September each year.

These meetings involve at least 15 people who spend an average of five hours in each meeting, clocking a total of 75 hours. Since 10 meetings are held every year, this means the total number of meetings take more than 750 hours each year, bringing the total number of hours volunteered by participants to 5, 250 hours over the past seven years.

Medical check-ups

The Pink Caravan has offered free medical check-ups to 39,231 women and 9,643 men. The typical cost of a breast cancer clinical examination is valued at AED 250, while the cost of one mammogram or ultrasound is AED 1,000.

Clinical examinations

In its first year, the Pink Caravan offered clinical examinations worth AED 2.5 million to 10,024 people, and 6,751 people benefited from free screenings worth AED 1.68 million in 2012. In its third year, a total of 6,102 women and men were examined at a cost of AED 1.52 million, while in its fourth year, the Pink Caravan provided medical check-ups costing AED 1.52 million to
6,072 persons. In 2015, 7,383 men and women benefited from screenings worth AED 1.85 million. In its sixth year, the Pink Caravan offered free clinical examinations valued at AED 1.26 million to 5,059 people, and AED1.87 million worth of medical check-ups for 7,483 people.

Mammograms

The Pink Caravan offered mammograms to 3,454 people in 2011, to 2,152 persons in 2012, and 1,197 people in 2013. This figure rose to 1,546 people in 2014 and increased again to 1,722 persons in 2015. A total of 1,655 people benefited from mammograms in 2016, and 2,542 in 2017, constituting the second largest figure attained in Pink Caravan history. This brings the total number of people who benefited from mammograms to 14,287 over the past seven years.

Ultrasounds

From 2011 to 2016, Pink Caravan has offered ultrasounds to 1,802 people, of whom 386 were checked in 2011, 325 in 2012, and 189 people in its third year. The number rose to 286 people in 2014, while 176 people benefited from ultrasound screening in 2015, before the number rose dramatically to 440 persons in 2016. No ultrasounds were conducted in 2017 because all cases were referred for mammograms.

 

 

Total value

As for the total value of all kinds of examinations and breast screenings provided by the Pink Caravan over its seven years, statistics show that clinical examinations are valued at AED 12.2 million, while mammograms were worth AED 14.3 million and AED 1.8 million was spent in ultrasounds. This brings the total amount to AED 28.4 million that has been spent to offer free screenings and examinations to 48,874 people over the past seven years.

Reem BinKaram, Chairperson of the Higher Organising Committee of Pink Caravan Ride, said: "The Pink Caravan has made great efforts since its inception in 2011. It has provided crucial support to the UAE’s efforts in fighting cancer in general, and breast cancer in particular, by offering free medical examinations and clinical screenings to thousands of citizens and residents, both men and women. Today’s figures show that Pink Caravan has been and still is a pioneering agent in influencing positive change in society through charitable and voluntary work.”

She added: “Prior to the establishment of Pink Caravan, people held several misconceptions including viewing breast cancer as a contagious and incurable disease that does not affect men. The Pink Caravan has managed to increase community awareness about the disease, and many people today understand well the importance of undergoing regular screenings as a way for early detection, especially as studies reveal that survival rates can go up to 98 percent if breast cancer is detected early.”

BinKaram went on to say: “As we anticipate the launch of the eighth Pink Caravan Ride, which will embark on its journey on February 28 and travel the seven emirates until March 6, we fondly remember the values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founder of the UAE, instilled in us. We take the momentous occasion of Year of Zayed to invite community members and organisations to support the Pink Caravan’s efforts through donations and other charitable efforts like volunteering, etc., and help us spread our message of hope to a wider spectrum of citizens and residents.”

Donations are open to everyone interested in supporting the Pink Caravan’s mission. A donation can be made via direct fund transfers to Pink Caravan’s Sharjah Islamic Bank account number 0034-430430-003, IBAN AE10041000003443043. A small contribution of AED 5 can be made by sending a Du SMS "Pink" to 2302, and the global online social platform ‘JustGiving’, or PC’s official website, their Facebook account - ThePinkCaravan, or their smart mobile app – Pink Caravan, can also be used for the same.

The itinerary for the weeklong ride includes four main routes – the equine route, medical route, fundraising initiatives, and awareness events – that will be held to promote the campaign’s mission of increasing breast cancer awareness, highlighting the importance of early detection. Pink Caravan organisers believe that educating the public about the dangers of breast cancer is a national, communitarian and humanitarian responsibility. Therefore, every organisation and individual fully participate.

Over the past seven years, the Pink Caravan has contributed to correcting misconceptions surrounding the disease and breaking down barriers of fear and embarrassment, thereby helping in saving numerous people’s lives.