Breast cancer awareness must ‘go beyond’ October

While it still is relevant that awareness on breast cancer and its pitfalls get one dedicated month each year, conversations should be continuing, according to three of four women.

Of the four, Philippine-registered nurse-turned-businesswoman in Abu Dhabi, Marjorie Sac, stressed that fear – which, in the past, had been a major hindrance, according to medical specialists, for the necessary widespread correct information dissemination which include latest available treatments – could be taken positively.

The breast cancer survivor from a 2007 episode, like Clarise Pabello and Myla Ignacio Cudilla, admitted that fear, courage, hope, and empowerment, cross their mind when breast cancer discussions arise.

Amal Bint Mubarak thinks otherwise: “It is already treatable and not a death sentence.” “’Cancer’ is a frightening word because we know how deeply it can affect not only the person diagnosed; but, also their family and loved ones,” Sac continued.

Sac drew this from the 18 years of practice in her home country, including two years as nurse assistant and 10 years as a laboratory manager in the capital: “Many women and men have faced breast cancer with tremendous strength.” She is for the never-ending open discussions of breast cancer across ages, ethnicities, socio-economic classes, and other orientations. Not only cloistered in private conversations because as “early detection is important, fear should be an encouragement.”

An encouragement “to pay attention to our own bodies, how our individual risks and consult healthcare professionals when something does not feel right,” added the Euphoria Salon owner.

On the other hand, of the four women, Mubarak believes that the month-long observance every October is “enough.” For the Emirates Film Festival chief operating officer, one month is sufficient to drive updates, even as numbers are on the increase and “sadly, nowadays, breast cancer hits young women” – even the adolescents.

“If it was all-year-round, it will lose its importance and it will have the tendency of ‘It is just another day’ kind of feeling.”

“Let us help stop the increase of the cases by having screen tests, particularly the tests that are responsible for the cancer and make preventive measures,” Mubarak said. From July 3, 2026 World Health Organisation (WHO) press release, 694,000 from across the globe succumbed to the disease which may be invasive when abnormal cells “break through the milk ducts” or non-invasive when the cells remain in the milk ducts and do not scatter “beyond the breast tissue,” in 2024.

Moreover, breast cancer, which, scientific and medical studies have also identified rare types, affecting up to five per cent globally; has, according to the 2024 164-country WHO data, showed that the disease was the commonest cancer, with men at 0.5 per cent, impacted.

On the prevalence in teenagers, the WHO-Global Burden Disease Study “which typically tracks individuals aged 15 to 39,” directed Gulf Today to the October 2024-published “Global Cancer Statistics for Adolescents and Young Adults: Population-Based Study” in the “Journal of Hematology & Oncology.”

The research that used 2022 records of the 15 to 39-year-olds worldwide, revealed the diagnoses of 1,300,196 new cancer cases, spread among 33 types of cancer. Of these, 245,825 were breast cancer cases affecting women. Of the 33 types of cancer, breast cancer topped the list, followed by thyroid, cervical cancers, and leukaemia.

For Sac, Pabello and Cudilla, awareness programmes should boost community action.

Cudilla, who volunteered that her mother is patient and that more important for the world to consider are the support and funding for more research, the well-comprehended conclusions of which must be properly and correctly disseminated worldwide to instigate collection action termed October as the “starting point.” “Information is accessible through the Internet and the social media. There is still the need to spread accurate information and encourage people to take action,” added the VMC Bags and Accessories owner. Pabello said breast cancer cases would drop “by turning awareness into action. One month can be powerful.” “Putting breast cancer into the public conversation, supporting patients and survivors, encouraging early detection, and strengthening access to screening and treatment are efforts that require more than one month,” said the Off The Hook Marketing manager.