ABU DHABI // More than 700 women on Wednesday participated in the UAE’s first Globe-athlon at Yas Marina Circuit to raise awareness of gynaecological cancer.
The women-only event was organised by Mafraq Hospital and involved cycling, running and fitness classes.
The event celebrating Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month was also supported by the Supreme Council for Motherhood, Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Yas Marina Circuit.
“It is a great initiative. Women in the UAE are not very aware of gynaecological cancers. They are also reluctant to share and discuss such issues,” said Marium Al Muhairi, a 19-year-old Emirati physiotherapy student before cycling the circuit’s track.
Ms Al Muhairi said that women-only events provided an ideal platform for Emirati women to have fun but also to learn more about health issues.
“We are very pleased that our female-only health and fitness initiative, GoYAS by Activelife, was chosen as the venue for the first Globe-athon,” said Al Tareq Al Ameri, chief executive of Yas Marina Circuit.
Dr Mai Al Jaber, representing the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, said her organisation not only wanted to promote sports among Emirati women but also to educate them about diseases that were often ignored. She said many conditions, such as cervical cancer, could be treated easily if detected quickly.
Dr Hessa Al Mazrouei, senior resident of obstetrics and gynaecology at Mafraq Hospital, said: “These cancers are often difficult to diagnose as most women don’t recognise the symptoms. We are creating a surround sound of awareness that could save a generation.”
Globe-athon to End Women’s Cancers is a worldwide movement to raise awareness of cancers that, according to the World Health Organisation and International Agency for Research on Cancer, accounted for 19 per cent – or 969,000 – of the 5.1 million estimated new cases reported each year.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women in the Emirates, with Emirati women comprising 30 per cent of those cases, according to the WHO.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
