Raising Awareness: Knowledge is Power
Through advance notifications, local council collaboration, and various information-sharing mechanisms, women are informed about the forthcoming scheduled visit of the Breast Cancer Mobile Clinic to their village. On the day of the clinic's visit, a project-supported minibus facilitates transportation for women, ensuring that logistical challenges do not hinder access to essential services. Just as the battle against breast cancer commences with awareness, women arriving at the mobile clinic begin with participation in an informative session designed to raise awareness. During these sessions, they gain knowledge about breast cancer, dispelling myths and misconceptions, understanding early signs, and appreciating the significance of regular check-ups. Often, women refrain from seeking medical attention due to fear or a lack of information about the disease, its treatment, and the importance of early detection. Nadeen's experience exemplifies this, as a 60-year-old mother of nine who had never attended a breast cancer appointment before. She shares her journey: “My husband had encouraged me to go over the years, but I had always declined. Today is my first visit, prompted by the knowledge that this clinic has come right to our doorstep and, most importantly, that the entire staff are women, which gave me the comfort to attend.”
From Awareness to Action: Clinical Examinations and Mammography
“Once the women have received all this information and have their questions answered, we encourage them to attend the Mobile Clinic for clinical examinations and mammograms” says Lana, AVH Chief Community Outreach Program. The clinic is staffed with dedicated medical professionals who perform clinical examinations and teach women how to perform self-breast examinations, as well as trained radiology technicians who provide high-quality mammograms. Mammography is a crucial tool in detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages when treatment is most effective. However, it takes an extra effort to convince women to accept this important procedure. “Due to rumors about the discomfort involved with mammography examination, we are very observant of providing compassionate care and guidance throughout the whole process to ensure these women feel relaxed and at ease”, Lana continued.
Overcoming Obstacles
For many women in the Jenin area, visiting a healthcare facility for breast cancer screening was previously a huge challenge and effort. Transportation is a significant hurdle in such areas disconnected from public transportation. Additionally, social stigma and misconceptions about male doctors deter many from seeking help, but the Breast Cancer Mobile Clinic dismantles all these obstacles. Through this modality, the services come directly to the women, free of charge, eliminating transportation issues, and the staff at the clinic is exclusively female, alleviating fears and ensuring a comfortable clinical environment, making it a pleasant experience for every patient and family. Samira, a mother of nine girls who are now all grown-up, had come to the clinic for the first time along with her daughter and her grandson. “I encourage everyone to visit this clinic, the staff are so friendly and very professional. Now, I understand the importance of early care and staying informed.”
Since the beginning of the year, 1250 Palestinian women have received mammography screenings and more than 3400 have attended awareness sessions on breast cancer. Thanks to strong partnerships and the generous support from the oPt Humanitarian Fund, vulnerable women from remote communities in the West Bank now have better access to information and detection of breast cancer.
