Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A New Hope for Erbil
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Swisscross Foundation is proud to stand alongside medical professionals in Kurdistan as we work towards the establishment of a specialized Breast Cancer Centre and program in Erbil in collaboration with the KRG Ministry of Health, the Barzani Charity Foundation, and under the supervision of the Office of Mullah Mustafa Barzani. We aim to create a space that offers hope, healing, and comprehensive care for women with breast cancer in the region, who are unable to afford treatment and breast reconstruction after diagnosis.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally with an estimated 2.3 million new cases every year. Early detection is crucial for successful treatment. Unfortunately, in many conflict-affected regions, including Kurdistan, access to healthcare can be limited, and awareness of breast cancer symptoms remains low. Women can often face barriers to diagnosis and treatment, leading to late-stage detections and lower survival rates. According to data from the Medical Statistics Department at the Ministry of Health, KRG, the number of women with breast cancer more than doubled from 2013 to 2019 in Erbil and Duhok.
At Swisscross Foundation, we recognize that healthcare must be accessible and that awareness is the first step towards saving lives. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we echo the theme of the month: No-one should face breast cancer alone and are encouraged by our pool of volunteer and local specialists who are taking action to address this critical health challenge in Kurdistan.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr Alla Shukur (L) with Zurich-based Plastic and Microsurgery expert, Dr Natasha Forster during a breast reconstruction surgery this year.
This includes, local plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr Alla Shukur, who has worked with Swisscross from the beginning of our journey in Kurdistan, and has dedicated her time to supporting women unable to access breast reconstructive surgery following cancer treatment. In the last year, Dr Shukur has performed several breast reconstructions at the Swisscross Center of Excellence for Complex Care for women unable to afford reconstruction after treatment. She is playing a pivotal part in the Breast Cancer Program.
Education and training is also a crucial part of our mission - to equip the next generation of medical professionals with skills and expertise to continue the work and in the long term to lead locally on all programs and surgeries.
Zurich-based reconstructive and microsurgery specialist, Dr Natasha Forster has been critical to bolster frontline healthcare professionals and instrumental in providing training tools which amplify local medical knowledge and capacity. Dr Forster provided plastic surgery and general surgery department at Rizgari Teaching Hospital presentations on breast reconstruction looking at the multidisciplinary approaches and techniques to breast reconstruction and shared her vast microsurgical knowledge. She has also provided hands-on training to residents and junior doctors in the operating room.
Dr Natasha Forster training 35 specialists and residents including the head of plastic department at Rizgary Teaching Hospital. November 2023.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we invite you to support our efforts. Whether through donations, spreading awareness, or partnering with us, your involvement can help transform the lives of women in Kurdistan. Together, we can provide the resources and care that will make a lasting impact, giving women the chance to fight breast cancer with dignity and strength.
