ADDING MULTIMEDIA Pink Pyramids of Giza Send Global Message of Breast Cancer Awareness

Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:09am EDT
 
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Unprecedented Collaboration Helps to Break the Silence in Egypt

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and The Links, Inc. Award Grants Aimed at Helping
Breast Cancer Patients
CAIRO--(Business Wire)--
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is expanding its global breast cancer mission to
Egypt this October, working with Egyptian government agencies and
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to break the silence and stigma around
breast cancer. The world`s leading breast cancer advocacy organization today
announced a slate of grants to Egyptian NGOs to support women`s health
initiatives including vital breast cancer education, treatment and
rehabilitation programs. On the eve of the historic Egypt Race for the Cure® at
the Pyramids of Giza, and thanks to the support of GE Healthcare, Egyptian and
United States collaborating organizations lit the Pyramids pink and sent a
message of breast cancer awareness throughout the world. 

Under the patronage of H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt and
President and Founder of the Suzanne Mubarak Women`s International Peace
Movement (SMWIPM), Susan G. Komen for the Cure is collaborating with the Breast
Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE), The Suzanne Mubarak Regional Center for
Women`s Health and Development (SMC), the SMWIPM and the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) to showcase Egypt`s leadership in the
fight against breast cancer and ignite the breast cancer movement throughout the
region. This joint effort is in support of the Ministry of Health`s National
Program to Combat Breast Cancer in Egypt. 

"While misconceptions and cultural stigma surround breast cancer in Egypt,
advocates and survivors are proving that information and knowledge are crucial
to saving lives," said Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Komen Founder and United
Nations` World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control.
"Illuminating the Great Pyramids of Giza pink will send a clear message to the
world that breast cancer knows no boundaries, and that by working together, we
can make great strides against this disease," added Ambassador Brinker. 

In the midst of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Komen for the Cure will shine a
light on the life-saving work of health professionals, advocates and survivors
who are on the front lines of Egypt`s battle against breast cancer. This
evening, Komen announced a grant to support BCFE`s mammography screening program
and lymphedema awareness, prevention and treatment program. A second grant from
Komen and The Links, Inc., one of the oldest and largest volunteer service
organizations of African American women, will support BCFE`s breast prosthesis
program. And a third grant from Komen to the Suzanne Mubarak Women`s
International Peace Movement will fund a women`s health and education program. 

"We are proud to be partnering with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, once again, for
this important initiative in Egypt. Regardless of our culture, demographics or
where we are on the globe, breast cancer impacts us all," stated Dr. Gwendolyn
Lee, National President of The Links, Inc. "Together, we are ensuring that our
work in local communities and all around the world make a positive difference in
the health and well being of women everywhere." 

GE Healthcare supported the historic lighting of the Pyramids of Giza. This year
marks a significant milestone for the company as it commemorates the tenth
anniversary of digital mammography, a breast cancer screening technology
introduced by GE Healthcare in 1999. "GE Healthcare is proud to support this
worthwhile country initiative in promoting breast cancer awareness and education
in Egypt and across the globe," said Richard di Benedetto, GE Healthcare`s
President and CEO for the Eastern & Africa Growth Markets (EAGM) region.
"Through our own research as well as partnerships with other industry
innovators, GE is continuing to develop advanced technologies that could help
improve breast cancer detection in the future." 

A press event this past Wednesday, Oct. 21 in Alexandria, Egypt kicked off the
week`s breast cancer awareness activities including a Regional Training Seminar
on Breast Cancer Support Groups, tomorrow`s landmark Egypt Race for the Cure at
the Giza Pyramids and the University of Florida`s 15th Annual Multidisciplinary
Symposium on Breast Disease. Ambassador Brinker is leading a Komen mission
delegation trip to Egypt where 40 U.S. delegates will experience first-hand the
state of breast cancer in Egypt as well as in other countries in the region.
Joining the U.S. delegation are nearly 30 Egyptian and regional breast cancer
survivors and advocates representing ten countries in the Middle East. 

Egypt is just one of several countries Komen is focusing on based upon the
country`s need, relative political and economic stability, and the willingness
of its high-ranking government officials and many non-governmental officials to
work together in building capacity to address its high breast cancer mortality
rates. 

About the Partner Organizations

Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan
G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In
1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global
breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest
grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save
lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find
the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure Series, the
organization has invested nearly $1.5 billion to fulfill the promise, becoming
the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast
cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. 

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that
are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging
and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems,
drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance
improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver
better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we
partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change
necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems. Our
"healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our
journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs,
increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world.
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a $17 billion unit of
General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employs more than
46,000 people committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients
in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our
website at www.gehealthcare.com. Visit GE's breast cancer mosaic at
www.breastcanceremotion.gehealthcare.com. 

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation,
established in 1946. Membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color.
It is one of the nation`s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of
extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the
culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African
ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org. 

The Suzanne Mubarak Women`s International Peace Movement, founded in 2003, is a
non-profit, non-governmental international organization whose principal goal is
to advocate and work towards peace and human security, and to empower women and
youth to participate as key influencers, change agents and active partners in
peace processes. For more information, visit www.womenforpeaceinternational.org.


The Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to fighting breast cancer in Egypt. BCFE is registered under the
Ministry of Social Solidarity. The organization`s ultimate objective is life
without breast cancer. BCFE started its work with the community in 2004 by
targeting women from all social and economic strata. Individually, they
represent health care professionals, breast cancer survivors, and local
advocates. Collectively, they are a driving force to bring breast cancer
awareness, education, and screening to Egyptian women. BCFE`s services include
breast cancer awareness, early detection and patient programs as well as support
groups. For more information, see www.bcfe.org. 

The Suzanne Mubarak Regional Center for Women`s Health & Development (SMC) is a
training and research center active in all areas of women`s health and
development situated in Alexandria, Egypt. It offers activities to women at
large and to all professionals working in the area of women`s health and
development in Egypt and friendly neighboring countries. The SMC is governed by
a Board of Trustees headed by H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt,
and is under the direct control of H.E. the Minister of Health. For more
information, visit www.smcalex.com. 

The Ministry of Health of Egypt provides overall coordination of policy
formulation, national data collection, quality control, monitoring and
evaluation of the National Women`s Health Program (NWHP). The National Breast
Cancer Screening Program, a component of the NWHP, was launched in 2007 to
improve the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. Under the patronage
of H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, the screening program utilizes mobile vans and
static mammography units in general hospitals and targets women in underserved
areas in Egypt. For more information, visit www.mohp.gov.eg. 

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent federal
government agency that has a long history of extending a helping hand to those
people overseas struggling to make a better life, recover from a disaster, or
striving to live in a free and democratic country. USAID has worked closely with
the Government of Egypt and local partners for over three decades in
collaborative efforts to improve the quality of life for all Egyptians. Progress
has been achieved through investments and technical assistance in the areas of
education, economic growth, health, water management, agriculture, environment
and natural resources, antiquities, and democracy and governance. US economic
assistance to Egypt through USAID has totaled more than $28 billion since 1975.
For more information, see http://egypt.usaid.gov. 

The Johns Hopkins University/Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for
Communication Programs provides technical assistance to Communication for
Healthy Living project funded by USAID Egypt as a collaboration with the
Egyptian government. A pioneer in the field of strategic, research-based
communication for behavior change and health promotion, the center has been
working on national health campaigns in Egypt since the mid-1980s, building on
successful predecessor projects through the cooperative efforts of USAID and the
Government of Egypt that began in the mid-1970s. For more information, visit
www.jhuccp.org. 

The Institute of International Education (IIE) manages the Susan G. Komen for
the Cure Global Initiative for Breast Cancer Awareness. Founded in 1919, IIE is
one of the world`s most experienced global higher education and professional
exchange organizations. IIE has long worked to implement training programs,
particularly through its close relationships with universities, government
agencies, and NGOs dedicated to human capacity development. For more
information, visit www.iie.org. 

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6082125&lang=en

Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Media contact in U.S.:
Pam Stevens, 202-495-8961
pstevens@komen.org
or
Media contact in Egypt:
U.S. Embassy in Cairo
Margaret B. White, (+2 02) 2797-3501
whitemb@state.gov

Copyright Business Wire 2009

 

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