Cancer recovery in Kuwait climbs 44% with awareness campaigns

• The National Cancer Awareness Campaign’s annual breast cancer awareness initiative under the slogan ‘Pink Lifebuoy,’ aims to raise health awareness and encourage women to undergo regular breast cancer screenings for early detection.

• Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in Kuwait and ranks among the leading types of cancer affecting women worldwide.

The National Cancer Awareness Campaign (CAN) has launched its annual breast cancer awareness initiative under the slogan “Pink Lifebuoy,” with the patronage of Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs, and support from the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries.

According to Al Anba newspaper, the campaign will run throughout October, aiming to raise health awareness and encourage women to undergo regular breast cancer screenings for early detection.

In his speech, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, Chairman of the CAN Campaign, highlighted a recent global study showing a 44% increase in cancer recovery rates in Kuwait this year, underscoring the country’s success through awareness and early detection efforts. He stressed that knowledge and awareness are the first steps towards prevention and recovery, noting that breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in Kuwait and ranks among the leading types of cancer affecting women worldwide.

Al-Saleh shared statistics from the Kuwait Cancer Control Center, reporting 582 breast cancer cases among women this year, including 326 cases in Kuwaiti women and 256 in non-Kuwaitis. He highlighted encouraging figures, with 94.5% of breast cancer patients diagnosed in 2020 still alive and most cases detected at stage two. He emphasized the importance of health education, training women on monthly self-examinations, and recognizing early warning signs as practical methods for early detection.

Dr. Hessa Al Shaheen, Board member and head of the initiative, underlined the impact of awareness programs on society. She noted rising demand among women for training on self-examination and mammograms and highlighted that 172,000 female students have been trained in self-examination.

For the past 14 years, CAN has organized various field and social activities throughout Pink October, including self-examination workshops in companies, universities, and the National Applied Medical Center, as well as awareness exhibitions in shopping malls, health centers, and hospitals.

Al Shaheen added that the campaign also conducts educational lectures in schools, targeting students and faculty members to reinforce the importance of early detection. These initiatives provide women with practical knowledge and guidance, equipping them to take proactive steps for their health and the well-being of society.

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