Breast cancer claims the lives of approximately 410,000 women every year but it is highly curable if caught early. Pink Caravan, a pan UAE Breast cancer awareness initiative by Friends of cancer patients, was set up to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and to encourage men and women to perform regular check-ups. If detected early, 98% of women can be completely treated and cured and figures show that 80% of female cases of breast cancer are detected through self-examination. Therefore it is essential for every woman to get herself checked every year to avoid succumbing to this curable disease.
Furthermore, Pink Caravan annually runs a horseback ride that covers all seven emirates in the UAE in order to spread awareness about the disease, to offer free breast cancer screenings and to raise funds to help support cancer patients. Since its inception in 2011, the Pink Caravan Ride has travelled 1,150 kms with over 350 riders, 300 volunteers and 410 medical clinics offering early breast cancer detection examinations for 36,332 people, including 7,873 men.
This year Pink Caravan Ride is taking place from March 7th to 17th under the theme “Soldiers of Pink Hope”, and the more soldiers it has, the better! Riders from all across the UAE are welcome to join the Pink Caravan Ride 2016 and help spread the message of hope and recovery. There are some requirements for joining and all information can be found on their website.
Just register here: http://www.pinkcaravan.ae/register/ and they will do a horse riding proficiency test before accepting you as a rider. If you are doubtful about your riding skills, you can always register as a volunteer here: http://www.pinkcaravan.ae/register/individual-form-1.php and help. You can also support the Pink Caravan through donating here: http://www.pinkcaravan.ae/waysofdonation.php#page=What-is-Breast-Cancer
And if you feel going to a website is too much, just download the app for Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pink-caravan/id514951666?mt=8 or for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pinkcaravan.mobileapp and contribute or volunteer from the palm of your hands!
Many women and men fall prey to breast cancer and do not even realize it until it’s too late, due to lack of awareness about the importance of early detection. Pink Caravan brings us one step closer to spreading the advantages of early detection and its role in saving lives.