English news letter

NACA WINS PRESTIGIOUS UNITED NACA WINS PRESTIGIOUS UNITED NACA WINS PRESTIGIOUS UNITED

NATIONS PUBLIC SERVINATIONS PUBLIC SERVINATIONS PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDCE AWARDCE AWARD

Upcoming Events

NACA Exhibition

at Qurum City Centre

October 2011

Walkathon

25 October 2011

THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

FOR CANCER

AWARENESS

(NACA)

P.O. Box 736 Athaiba Postal Code 130

Sultanate of Oman Tel. No.: (968) 24498716 Fax No.: (968) 24498726 Toll Free No.: 800 77477

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ocancer.org.om

DAR AL HANAN

Tel. No.: (968) 24501770 Fax No.: (968) 24501179

Email: [email protected]

June 2011 Issue 4/11

IN THIS ISSUE: The National Association

for Cancer Awareness

Regular Examination and Early Diagnosis

Saves Lives

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us by one of the means shown below. Also Check out the NACA website and on Facebook and Twitter.

NACA Wins UN Award 1

Important Dates for Diary 1

Latest News 2

NACA Diary Snippets 2

10 Warning Signals 2

Ovarian Cancer 3

Stomach Cancer 3

NACA in New York 3

NACA Photo Album 3

ABC of Health 4

Special Award 4

October is breast cancer

awareness month and to

mark this, as well as aware-

ness of all cancers, NACA

will be hosting a month-

long exhibition in Qurum

City Centre Mall. There will be vari-

ous stalls and sponsors‟ booths, a

children‟s play area, fun events such

as a Lego building competition and

much more. The Mobile Mammogra-

phy Unit will also be stationed at the

exhibition for the month, providing

free mammograms for all eligible

women.

This year‟s annu-

al walk in the

Ministry area, Al

Khuwair, will

take place from

4.00 to 6.00 on

October 25th. Put a note in your dia-

ry and make sure you register and get

your T-shirt at the Qurum City Cen-

tre exhibition so that on the day you

can “Say You Care, Be Aware”.

Important Dates for Your DiaryImportant Dates for Your DiaryImportant Dates for Your Diary Free Clinical Breast Examina-

tions are carried out on the first

Tuesday of every month at

NACA headquarters, between

9.00 and 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 to

6.00 p.m. Please call 24498716 to make

an appointment.

In June the Mobile Mammog-

raphy Unit will be in the

Dakhliya region and in July in

Sharqiya. For full details of

where the MMU will be and

when, please contact the

NACA office or check the website. (In

August/Ramadan, it will be stationed at

NACA headquarters in Azaiba.)

Dr Nishat, a Clinical Psy-

chologist, and Dr Buthaina, a

Counsellor, have volunteered

their time to NACA. Please

phone to make an appoint-

ment. Dr Nishat will be available from 9

to 12 a.m. on the first Sunday of every

month and Dr Buthaina from 4 to 6 p.m.

on the first Monday.

The United Nations

Public Service Award is the most prestig-

ious award in the international arena

which recognises excellence in public ser-

vice in countries worldwide. Each year

there are only 5 categories with 2 winners

per category. In the category of

„Promoting gender-responsive delivery of

public services‟, NACA won second place

for its Mobile Mammography Unit, be-

coming the only Omani NGO to

win such an award. Yuthar Al Rawahi, founder and

president of NACA, said: “We are

extremely honoured to

be recognised by the UN for our

work in launching and operating the

NACA Mobile Mammography

Unit. This award serves to endorse

and motivate NACA to continue in

our efforts to provide services which

will promote early detection of can-

cer and improve the quality of life of

all cancer patients in our communi-

ty.” The winners will be honoured at the

2011 UNPSA Awards Ceremony in

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in June.

Page 2

Page 2

SSSnippets nippets nippets from NACA’s Diaryfrom NACA’s Diaryfrom NACA’s Diary

The 10 Warning Signals of CancerThe 10 Warning Signals of CancerThe 10 Warning Signals of Cancer

Latest NewsLatest NewsLatest News———Dar Al Hanan Update Dar Al Hanan Update Dar Al Hanan Update Since its commission in January, Dar Al Hanan has been making a

difference. As one mother states, “in Dar Al Hanan the words and

deeds of the people are greater than any syrup that the hospital can give us”. The

home for cancer patients can comfortably lodge up to 65 patients at one time and

in a span of four months as many as 40 patients have benefitted from Dar Al

Hanan. Creative activities take place almost every day in the form of dancing,

reading, playing and colouring, while other activities include lectures and talks on subjects such as

“Healthy Food” and a celebration of Mother‟s Day with a competition, a cake and songs by the children.

March 27th The annual NACA Open Day was a well attended and enjoyable event

which gave members, guests, volunteers and board members a chance to meet up.

March/April Dr Aseel Al Taee conducted a series of talks for cancer

awareness at the Oman Women‟s Association, the Ministry of Regional

Municipality and Water Resources and Sultan Qaboos University.

April 18th Talk on “The Miracle and Wonders of Treatment from Hot Water” by the author

Faris Al Hajri.

1 A sore that

does not heal, has changed colour, ul-cerates or bleeds.

EARLY DETECTION

OF CANCER CAN

SAVE LIVES

KNOW THE 10

WARNING SIGNALS

2 Unusual

bleeding or discharge from any opening in the body, e.g. blood in the urine, stool, fre-quent or heavy men-struation.

5 Change in

bowel or bladder hab-its consistently for a duration of 2-3

months. 10

REDUCE

CANCER

RISK,

ADOPT

A

HEALTHY

LIFESTYLE

3 A lump or

swelling that has pro-gressively enlarged which may or may not be associated with pain.

6 Obvious change

in size or texture in a wart or mole.

8 Unexplained

tiredness and / or weight loss of 10% or more within a period of 3-6 months.

4 Indigestion or

difficulty in swallow-ing.

7 Non smokers'

cough or hoarseness of voice that persist for

more than 2 weeks.

Smokers' cough that becomes intense.

9 Persistent pain

or discomfort in the abdomen.

10 Unexplained

fever.

Page 3

Page 3

What Is Ovarian Cancer?

This cancer begins in the ovaries, the two

organs that produce a woman‟s eggs and

the main source of the female hormones

oestrogen and progesterone. Lack of

symptoms or vague symptoms in the early

stages of ovarian cancer is why the illness is known as the

“silent killer”.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer:

If there are symptoms they can include:

Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort

Vague but persistent digestive problems e.g. gas, nausea

Abdominal swelling or a bloated feeling

Loss of appetite

Unexplained weight gain or loss

On-going unusual fatigue

Pain during intercourse

Abnormal changes in bowel or bladder habits

Abnormal post menopausal bleeding

Who is at risk? Women who:

have a female relative with ovarian cancer.

have had breast, uterus or colon cancer.

are over 55 years of age

have never been pregnant.

have used high doses of oestrogen for long periods.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, visit your doctor

who may give you a combination pelvic/rectal exam, a CA-

125 blood test and a trans-vaginal ultrasound.

(N.B. A Pap smear test will not detect ovarian cancer.)

What is Stomach Cancer?

It is a cancer of the lining of the stomach. This layer

develops as an ulcer or an ulcerative growth. Cancer cells

can spread directly through the stomach wall to

neighbouring organs like the pancreas and liver. It is the

number one cancer in Omani men and the third most

common cancer in women after breast and thyroid cancers.

Early symptoms to watch out for:

Loss of appetite

Indigestion after meals

Anaemia

Weight loss

More advanced symptoms:

Repeated vomiting containing blood

Upper abdominal or back pain

Jaundice

Who is at risk?

There are no definite causes but smoking & infection of the

stomach with a specific type of bacteria are known risks.

Men and women over 45 years are more susceptible.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Ask your doctor for a gastroscopy if you have one or more

of the following symptoms:

Persistent unexplained upper abdominal discomfort or

pain

Repeated vomiting with or without blood

Loss of appetite with weight loss

Unexplained anaemia

Remember: Early diagnosis = better results.

OVARIAN CANCER STOMACH CANCER

From the Photo AlbumFrom the Photo AlbumFrom the Photo Album

(Left to Right) Robert Budlow, Board Chair, Children's Brain Tumor

Foundation, Yuthar Al Rawahy, Saniya Al Kharusi, Shireen Said,

Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of Sultanate of Oman, Charlotte

Simon, Executive Producer, Dream and Promise Awards Benefit. )

Mrs. Yuthar Mohammed Al Rawahy was a special guest at

the 9th annual Dream and Promise Awards benefit on May

17th 2011, in New York City to support the Children's Brain

Tumor Foundation, a major non-profit organization working

nationwide and abroad to help children with brain and spinal

cord tumors and cancer.

Selling merchandise and cakes to raise funds at

Muscat International School Carnival

NACA

President

Yuthar Al

Rawahy and

H E Indian

Ambassador

Anil

Wadhwa at

the Y‟s Men

International

Club

musical

evening.

NACA in New YorkNACA in New YorkNACA in New York

stomach

liver

ovary

Page 4

EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

Sally Perry Sally Perry, Zuleika Pereira, Dr Wahid Al Kharusi

Page 4

An ABC of Health Each issue of this newsletter will look at a variety of ways in which you can improve your health, try to prevent cancer or help

while undergoing treatment for cancer.

N.B. If you are on cancer therapy or any other treatment, do not take any supplements without first checking with your doctor.

B is for ...

B VitaminsB Vitamins B vitamins are used for cell repair

and they also support the immune

system. Good sources include

whole grains, oatmeal, brown rice,

dark green leafy vegetables, eggs,

nuts, turkey and tuna. In particular, vitamin B6

has been found to reduce the risk of lung cancer.

BlueberriesBlueberries Rich in vitamin C, blueberries are

thought of as nature‟s only „blue‟

food. Research has shown that

blueberries can protect against

colon cancer and ovarian cancer.

Be PositiveBe Positive A proactive and positive spirit will

help a cancer sufferer to become a

cancer survivor. A positive mind

anticipates happiness, health and a

successful outcome for every

situation and action. Smile more, as

this helps you think positively.

BeetrootBeetroot Beetroot gets its rich purple-red colour

from „betacyanin‟, a powerful cancer

fighting agent, while beet fibre is

beneficial for bowel functions. The

combination of these makes beetroot

good at protecting against stomach and colon cancer.

BroccoliBroccoli Broccoli is an important „anti-cancer‟

vegetable. Broccoli is especially

recommended as a “good candidate for

chemo-prevention of breast cancer”. A

chemical found in broccoli appears to

stop the growth of cancer cells.

Bach Flower RemediesBach Flower Remedies The flower remedies are used to treat

different emotional states as it is

believed that a positive state of mind

is vital to maintain health and when

recovering from illness. They can be

taken by adding drops to water or

directly on the tongue. Particularly useful is the Bach

Rescue Remedy which treats stress and anxiety.

EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

Sally Perry Sally Perry, Zuleika Pereira, Dr Wahid Al Kharusi

Special Award Mrs. Yuthar Al

Rawahy, Founder and

President of the Nation-

al Association for Can-

cer Awareness, was

honoured by HRH Fati-

ma Layad Saqr Al Na-

hyan, Chairperson of

Um Al Mumineen As-

sociation with an Award

of Distinction in the

field of social and vol-

untary work on April 6th 2011 at Ajman UAE. The

Um Al Mumineen Association, run by the wife of

the Amir of Ajman, chooses those from all the

GCC countries who have made an outstanding

contribution in their service to society.

Meet some of the Board NACA Executive board members at the Open Day in

April 2011, (from Left to Right): Dr Wahid Al

Kharusi, Moeen Nawaz, Sheikh Saoud Al Rawahi,

Sally Perry, Asia Al Kharusi, Dr Aseel Al Taee,

Nasra Al Baloushi, Latifa Al Kharusi, Yuthar Al

Rawahy. (Board members not in this photo: Amina

Oirdi, Joyce Tauro)