Jordan Times
Saturday, October 23, 1999
Thousands of Jordanians join Al Hussein March
against cancer
By Suha Ma'ayeh
AMMAN — Thousands of people took part in a nation-wide march against cancer on Friday to raise donations for Al Amal Cancer Centre fund that looks after the poor.
Al Hussein March Against Cancer, named after the late King Hussein who lost a battle against cancer on Feb. 7, is part of a fund-raising programme to raise JD1 million to offer free or partially-free cancer treatment for less privileged citizens.
“The march aims to cover the cost of treatment for Jordanians and non-Jordanians stricken with cancer given the fact that cancer treatment is costly,” Mohammad Kheir Mamser, who heads the march coordinating committee, told the Jordan Times.
The 12-kilometre march, led by Her Majesty Queen Noor kicked off from Al Hussein Sports City and proceeded to Al Amal Centre and back to the Sports City.
“This march represents hope determination and committment to help anyone in need. I am certain King Hussein is looking down and smiling with pride at his Jordanian family... and their committment to humanitarian causes,” Queen Noor told Journalists at the march.
The march brought together people from all walks of life including dozens of top Arab film, stage and television stars from Egypt and Syria, Jordanian singers, diplomats and members of the Royal family.
Participants paid one dinar for the T-shirt bearing the late King's portrait embracing a child cancer patient and smiling.
Organisers said that independent institutions contributed larger donations.
Walkers also held banners commemorating the compassion of the late King along with his picture and waved with the Jordanian flag.
Mamser expected donations to reach between JD200,000-JD250,000.
His Royal Highness Prince Talal Ben Mohammad, a cancer patient, took part in the nearly two-hour march in addition to Syria's top comedian Duraid Laham and Egypt's Safiya Omari, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations.
Abdullah Khatib, president of the General Union of Voluntary Societies and rappertour of the board of trustees, said around $13 million are needed annually to run the centre at full capacity.
He said treatment for children stricken with cancer costs JD10,000 on average.
Al Amal Cancer Centre, a $35 million facility, was set up in 1997 through donations from Jordanians and other nationals including grants and soft loans.
The modern 120-bed facility provides comprehensive services ranging from early detection to rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
Chairperson of Al Amal Centre board, Queen Noor, donated JD50,000 on behalf of the Royal family, Khatib told the Jordan Times.
Statistics from Jordan's National Cancer Registry revealed that 3,354 new cancer cases were reported in 1997.
The report reveals that breast cancer, colon-rectal and lymphoma affected females in particular, while bladder, lung and colon-rectal cancers were the most prevalent forms of the disease in males.
In 1996, 3,302 new cancer cases were reported. Of these, 198 proved fatal by the end of 1997.
The late King spent over JD5 million from his personal funds in 1997 on the treatment of Jordanians abroad — especially cancer patients — sending them to the United States and even Israel, officials said.