CAN kicks off annual breast cancer awareness campaign

KUWAIT: The National Cancer Awareness Campaign (CAN) has launched its annual breast cancer awareness initiative, “Pink Lifebuoy,” under the patronage of Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Children Dr Amthal Al-Huwaila, in cooperation with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. The campaign will run throughout October to spread health awareness and encourage early screening for breast cancer.

Speaking at the launch ceremony on Wednesday, CAN Chairman Dr Khaled Al-Saleh stressed that “awareness and knowledge are the first step toward prevention and recovery,” noting that breast cancer ranks first among cancers affecting women in Kuwait, and is also the most common cancer among women worldwide.

Dr Al-Saleh highlighted a recent global study showing cancer recovery rates in Kuwait have risen to 44 percent this year, crediting the progress to increased awareness and early detection efforts. Citing data from the Kuwait Cancer Control Center, he said 582 breast cancer cases were recorded among women in Kuwait, including 326 Kuwaiti and 256 non-Kuwaiti patients. Encouragingly, survival rates remain high, with figures showing that 94.5 percent of patients diagnosed in 2020 are still alive, and that most cases are detected at stage II.

“Knowledge and awareness are a lifeline for women,” Dr Al-Saleh said, emphasizing the importance of health education and monthly breast self-examinations. He urged women to recognize early warning signs and practice self-exams regularly as a simple but effective tool for early detection.

Dr Hessa Majid Al-Shaheen

Board member and initiative head Dr Hessa Majid Al-Shaheen underlined the campaign’s social impact, saying it has encouraged more women to undergo mammograms and self-examination training. She noted that more than 172,000 female students have already been trained in breast self-examination techniques.

For the past 14 years, CAN has organized a series of events during “Pink October,” including self-examination workshops in companies, universities, and the Public Authority for Applied Education, as well as awareness exhibitions in shopping malls, health centers, and hospitals. Awareness lectures are also delivered in schools, targeting both students and teachers to reinforce the importance of early detection.

Dr Al-Shaheen stressed that continued cooperation between health, social, educational, and media institutions is key to strengthening awareness efforts, supporting early screening, providing psychological care to patients, and motivating the community to adopt healthy lifestyles that help prevent cancer. — KUNA