The start of October, regarded globally as the breast cancer awareness month, has seen a number of charities, medical associations and individuals embark on campaigns to raise awareness of the disease in the Kingdom, particularly in rural areas. Saudi Gazette spoke to members of the Zahra Association, a breast cancer organization in the Kingdom who is currently at the forefront of awareness campaigns about what is being done to combat this disease. The Zahra Association has implemented several awareness campaigns in rural areas around the Kingdom, including three mobile clinics. “Unfortunately, some of the most obvious symptoms of breast cancer appear in later stages so it is very important that every woman know about all the symptoms and how to detect them,” stated Dr. Amal Al-Sheibani, a health education specialist at Zahra Breast Cancer Association. “These include puckering of the skin, inward movement in the nipple, scaly skin surrounding the nipple, swelling of the breast, nipple discharge and a lump.” According to Dr. Al-Sheibani, most women living in rural areas within the Kingdom as well as small cities are ignoring the necessity of detecting such diseases at an early stage, as well as the importance of self-detection. “Every woman from the age of twenty upward, should perform a self examination every month, about three to five days after her period,” she advised. This self examination plays a vital role in discovering tricky conditions like breast cancer. “The first step involved observing yourself in front of a mirror and checking for any symptoms from the collarbone to the armpit and right down to the ribcage,” she added. Checking for lumps involves a physical examination in the shower with soapy hands or alternatively, lying on the bed with a pillow under the head and shoulder. “To examine the left breast, a woman should rest her left arm behind her head and use the right hand to examine and vice versa. She should use her three middle fingers and palm to press the area in a circular motion,” explained Dr. Al-Sheibani. Clinical detection involves mammograms, used by medical professionals and associations but it seems that many unaware women are still ignoring the importance of using this technology to their benefit. “Mammograms detect lumps of any size, even as small as a grain of sand, so they can detect lumps before they are big enough to be felt,” remarked Dr. Al-Sheibani. The mammogram is thus the most effective weapon a woman has against breast cancer since early detection means that the course of treatment is both shorter and less aggressive and the patient has up to 97 percent of a chance of recovery. “Once the patient reaches the age of 40, she should get a mammogram done every two years and then every year after 50,” advised Al-Sheibani. Another thing to consider is if someone in the family has had breast cancer, in which case women are advised to get mammograms done from the age of 35. Dr. Al-Sheibani advises all women to get at least thirty minutes of exercise each day as well as a marked decrease in consumption of red meat, to be replaced with fish and vegetables, as such lifestyle changes significantly affect the chances of getting breast cancer. ‘Choose Wise and Save Lives' Al-Sheibani spoke to Saudi Gazette about the national healthy campaign called ‘Choose Wise and Save Lives' that Zahra Association for Breast Cancer launched in the rural areas around the Kingdom recently. She asserted that the stigma traditionally associated with breast cancer in the Kingdom has meant that the campaign also seeks to create unity between patients and ordinary women to create a supportive movement. Educational displays and brochures will be displayed in a number of supermarkets and malls. “We have cooperated with a team that consists of 25 cadres of medical and volunteers to deal effectively with the target audience through field work,” she noted. A series of seminars and lectures with the participation of doctors, the media, educators and volunteers will also take place during October, nationwide.
