Every year during the month of October, individuals everywhere join together in the fight against breast cancer. On October 22, 2019, PharmD Students, College of Pharmacy, GMU joined this fight and held a joint community outreach event with Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel and the Pink Caravan. The community engagement event comprises poster presentations for breast cancer related risks, early signs and methods of in-house early disease detection and flyers-based counseling regarding different ways to minimize the risk of breast cancer. The aim of this community engagement event was to shine light on the importance of early detection, yearly screening by mammogram and avoiding breast cancer risk factors.
PharmD Students discussed with hotel guests the different statistics regarding incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer worldwide. It was surprising for most hotel guests that the mortality rate of breast cancer among males is significantly higher than female patients. It was a statistical translation for the idiom “Men also wear pink”. PharmD students discussed the misconception that breast cancer occurs only in women and conducted flyer-based counseling regarding how to perform an at home self-check and the impact breastfeeding has on decreasing the risk of breast cancer. Students gave away some pink ribbons and souvenirs; and collected several positive messages for breast cancer patients on pink leaves hanged on a tree made by College of Pharmacy students. Meanwhile pink caravan cancer patients friends association collected generous donations during the event.
Dean Sherief Khalifa, College of Pharmacy, GMU commented: We are very happy to join hands with Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel in this important health awareness campaign. It reflects our collective commitment to the society in Ajman.
