CAIRO: In an effort to provide the facilities needed for early detection of breast cancer, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE) launched an early detection unit and clinic on July 14. The clinic aims at saving more lives by providing women with free mammograms and other medical tests and treatments for early detection. These tests "need to be free, said Dr Mohammed Shaalan, BCFE chairman. "It isn t enough to raise awareness, because if a woman goes to an institute and finds out that a mammogram costs about LE 250, she probably won't take it. Abdel Azim Wazir, Cairo governor, inaugurated the unit at the NCI auditorium hall. He was accompanied by Dr Ali Abd El Rahman, head of the NCI early diagnosis of breast cancer unit. Wazir commended the contributions made by non-governmental organization in the social development. Shaalan said the organization will help in introducing programs that would promote health insurance and early detection of breast cancer awareness. It will also provide support and advice in all medical institutions and hospitals. "We as an NGO are proud of the work we have done. We try to reach a widespread audience and by the look of things, have succeeded in this, said Shaalan. "We are the reason there is an awareness of breast cancer in Egypt. BCFE organized workshops and lectures all over the country. According to Shaalan, BCFE will also offer the necessary tests for early detection to the women of 26 colleges in Cairo University. The tests would be accompanied by questionnaires about the women's awareness of mammograms. While this would provide insight about women's perception of cancer treatments, finding statistics as to how much BCFE helped the whole country is impossible and will take years to do , he added.
