MORE than 1,000 supporters are expected to take part in the Bahrain Cancer Society’s Walk-A-Thon as part of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with organisers calling for greater awareness of early detection, an area that still needs improvement in the kingdom.
The event will be held on October 16 at Water Garden City – Seef District from 4.30pm – and will welcome participants of all ages, including cancer survivors and their families.
In addition to the walk, the event will feature a series of activities, educational materials and the sale of cancer awareness products aimed at promoting prevention and early detection.
Held annually, Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings people and organisations around the world together to highlight breast cancer, which is the most common cancer affecting women in Bahrain.
It also demonstrates the importance of supporting patients and survivors while raising funds for research and initiatives focused on prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Bahrain Cancer Society president Dr Abdulrahman Fakhro told the GDN that this year’s message focuses on the importance of not waiting for symptoms to appear before seeking medical advice or undergoing recommended screening based on age, health status and doctors’ recommendations.
“Early detection is an important step in identifying the disease at an early age and improving treatment outcomes,” he said, while emphasising the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, healthy weight and regular physical activity.
Dr Fakhro noted the society’s awareness efforts continue throughout the year, rather than being limited to one month. “Between 2024 and 2025, the society contributed around BD200,000 towards healthcare initiatives, including two digital mammography machines, a mammography workstation, breast ultrasound machine and a specialised station for examining and preparing suspected cancerous tissue samples,” he said.
“The society continues to strengthen co-operation with various healthcare and community organisations, contributing to a culture of prevention and early detection and supporting women’s health in Bahrain.”
Last year’s BCS Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk-A-Thon attracted more than 1,200 participants, reflecting strong community engagement with the initiative.
“This demonstrates the importance of continuing to provide platforms that promote awareness, so that people are educated and can make informed decisions,” he added.
The call for regular screening comes as research highlights gaps in routine mammography among Bahraini women. A study published by the GDN last month found that fewer than half of Bahraini women who had undergone a mammogram continued with regular screening as recommended.
The study found that the most commonly reported barrier was the belief that mammography was unnecessary in the absence of symptoms, cited by 41.7 per cent of participants. Fear of pain, concerns about receiving a cancer diagnosis and lack of time were also identified as barriers.
The researchers recommended greater involvement from physicians, electronic reminder systems and increased public awareness of breast cancer risk factors, particularly among women at higher risk.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Bahrain, with the kingdom recording an age-standardised incidence rate of 52.3 cases per 100,000 women, the highest among GCC states.
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