Jordanian Advocates
Participate in U.S. - Middle East Partnership
for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research
June 11th, 2008, Washington, DC - Women
advocates representing the Jordan Breast Cancer
Program participated this week in the Susan G.
Komen’s National Race for the Cure® on the
National Mall, together with participants from
Saudi Arabia and the UAE under the U.S. – Middle
East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and
Research. The Jordanian women representatives
experienced first-hand the magnitude of
awareness and commitment to improving women's
health that has been generated in the United
States by Komen for the Cure.
The US – Middle East Partnership for Breast
Cancer Awareness and Research, through the
support of the US Department of State’s Middle
East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and Susan G.
Komen for the Cure®, hosted the “Taking Action
on Advocacy” meeting for the women. These female
leaders and activists learnt how to build upon
their efforts to create breast cancer advocacy
strategies and sustainable programs like that of
Komen for the Cure.
The Jordanian participants, who are working to
promote and expand the Jordan Breast Cancer
Program, include Ghada Al-Bakkar, a social
worker in the Jordanian Association for Family
Planning and Protection (JAFPP), Eman Altheeb, a
volunteer for two years with the National
Community Service Corporation in Jordan, Dua’a
Fawaeier a Master’s student at Yarmouk
University, Nisreen Qatamish, Project Officer
for the National AIDS Program at the Ministry Of
Health, and Enas Younis a legal counselor with
one of the most active and famous
non-governmental organizations in Zarqa, Jordan,
the Family Guidance and Awareness Center (FGAC).
In partnership with the US-Middle East
Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and
Research, the Embassy of Jordan in Washington,
DC co-hosted a dinner for the Middle Eastern
participants as a show of support for their
commitment and tireless efforts in their
countries to overcome social barriers in order
to raise awareness amongst women, the youth and
local communities about breast cancer.
The Jordan Breast Cancer Program is a
nation-wide initiative for the development and
provision of comprehensive services for the
early detection and screening of breast cancer
for all women in Jordan. It has been established
under the directive of the Ministry of Health
and includes various stakeholders in the
Jordanian health sector and international health
organizations including the King Hussein Cancer
Foundation and Center, the World Health
Organizations, the Royal Medical Services,
Jordan University, Hashemite University, the
King Abdullah Hospital, USAID’s Private Sector
Project for Women’s Health and the Syndicate of
Private Hospitals.
Jordan Information Bureau
202-265-1606
jordaninfo1@aol.com
