Sharjah: UAE-based non-profit organisation Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP) and Pfizer, a global pharmaceutical company with operations across the Africa and Middle East region’, have launched a comprehensive handbook titled ‘Me & mBC’ featuring practical and emotional information to support women in the UAE, who are living with metastatic breast cancer (mBC).

The launch of this new resource comes after Pfizer’s analysis – commissioned in collaboration with the FOCP – around the mBC landscape in the UAE revealed the increasing need for more practical and emotional support for mBC patients expressed by local health authorities and civic societies involved with breast cancer control and treatment.

mBC is the most advanced stage of breast cancer (stage IV) where the malignancy spreads beyond the breast to other organs in the body such as the bones, lungs, liver or brain.

Fifty percent respondents of the Pfizer survey were aware of early breast cancer, but only 27 percent knew the term ‘metastatic breast cancer’. This clearly indicates a need to increase mBC awareness, which will foster a more supportive and positive environment for patients who have been diagnosed with the condition.

The two terms the public associated most with early breast cancer were “fear” (42%) and “hope” (39%) whereas for mBC, “pain” (44%) and “fear” (38%) trumped “hope” (25%).

On the need for more mBC-specific resources, Dr. Sawsan Al Madhi, Director General of FOCP and Head of the medical and awareness committee at Pink Caravan said, “In our work to supporting the mBC community, it is often expressed that there just isn’t enough information out there tailored to mBC patients. This is why we supported the creation of this handbook, which has been specifically designed to raise awareness and tackle difficult topics such as managing relationships with loved ones and required emotional support. The handbook will be a big aid to mBC patients in the UAE and our region.”

Dr. Falah Alkhatib, Consultant Clinical Oncologist from Mediclinic City Hospital, comments on how continued awareness and support for mBC patients is an important step forward in making people living with mBC feel understood and supported. “The results from the survey reinforced the importance of focusing on mBC and the lasting impact it has on patients and their family members”.

“The more we can heighten awareness about the condition, the more we can encourage positive conversations about mBC and help patients feel more understood and that there is support and a listening ear out there from the wider community if they need it. it is good to know that comprehensive information about mBC can now be easily accessible to patients, families and all society members anytime and anywhere,” Dr. Falah Alkhatib concluded. 

FOCP has started distributing the handbook to mBC patients and their families for free. It is available in both English and Arabic at the FOCP premises at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), Sharjah. The handbook offers patients advice, practical tips and help sheets for a variety of concerns – from coping with emotions to managing relationships.

Diane, an mBC patient from Dubai, who received a copy of the handbook, said: “When I was first diagnosed with mBC I was shocked, and with no history of any sort of cancer in my family, I was largely ignorant as to what my treatment might entail. The mBC handbook would have really helped in asking my doctor questions in those early days. I believe it will be of real benefit to men and women with mBC, showing that there is emotional and practical support available to help on this journey. Most importantly, it is possible to live an energetic and meaningful life with mBC, with a few ups and downs along the way.”

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Friends Of Cancer Patients
FOCP was established to help alleviate the financial and emotional burden that cancer often imposes on patients and their families, and to promote awareness about the six early detectable forms of the disease; breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, testicular cancer and colorectal cancer. Since being founded in 1999, FOCP has provided support to more than 5,000 cancer patients of all ages and nationalities across the UAE.

Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world®
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of healthcare products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer healthcare products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world.

© Press Release 2019

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