UJ pharmacology students march to raise awareness of breast cancer

AMMAN — Jordan Pharmaceutical Students’ Association members on Wednesday held a march at the University of Jordan (UJ) for Breast Cancer Awareness month to encourage women to undergo check-ups. 

The “Pink for October” event, organised by UJ’s pharmacology faculty, the Jordan Breast Cancer Programme and the King Hussein Cancer Centre, was held to support cancer patients and encourage young women to do regular check-ups.

Sanaa Bardaweel, professor at the faculty, said they aim to encourage the younger generation to check for cancer cells and to pass on their knowledge to their family members.

“Breast cancer is a red flag in Jordan; we are treating three cases every day, which amounts to almost 1,000 cases annually. Jordan has the third highest percentage of breast cancer patients worldwide,” she told The Jordan Times.

Bardaweel said the march aimed to inform young women and men to spread awareness and knowledge about breast cancer. “The earlier the detection, the better. Its treatment is easy, prognosis is good, and it’s the easiest type of cancer to cure.”

The university has held a series of events for Breast Cancer Awareness month, Bardaweel said, including lectures, open days and fund-raising activities. 

“We received doctors from other countries; they informed students on the latest approaches for treatment, and then we handed out some informative brochures to students, especially in faculties that are not related to medicine or sciences in general,” she added.

Student Lara Fakhoury said the march addresses all age groups and seeks to educate students about the symptoms of breast cancer. 

“There are many campaigns that raise awareness of breast cancer, but as students, we have to focus on our role as youths in making a difference and encouraging our mothers and aunts to check,” she told The Jordan Times.

“Regardless of our genders, we can all help by communicating the right message to the older generation, since the recovery percentage exceeds 90 per cent during the early detection phase,” Fakhoury added.

Dana Jaber, a fifth year student, said that as a pharmacology student, she believes it is her duty to deliver a clear message to the people.

“This can be a perfect opportunity to organise events to interact with students. Many students want to know more about the campaign,” Jaber added.

The symptoms of breast cancer include: swelling in parts of the breast; feeling pain in the upper part of the body; skin irritation, redness or thickening of the breast; or change in the skin texture, according to organisers of the march.