Womanthismonth.com 14 October 2024 CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF HOPE & IMPACT October heralds the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to spreading knowledge, raising funds and supporting those affected by breast cancer. In Bahrain, this movement is championed by Think Pink: Bahrain Breast Cancer Society, an organisation that has been a beacon of hope, education and support for the last two decades. On this special occasion, Woman This Month sat down with the Founder and Chairwoman, Dr. Julie Sprakel, and Vice Chairwoman, Tahera Al Alawi, to reflect on the remarkable journey and future plans of this incredible organisation. Looking back at the past 20 years, how does it feel to have reached this milestone for Think Pink? Tahera Al Alawi: It has been an incredible journey. Reaching our 20th year is no surprise; we’ve maintained our position by nurturing our patients, supporting the system and driving our campaigns consistently. We have always been transparent, accessible, and driven by evidence-based decisions centred on our community. Dr. Julie Sprakel: The original idea for Think Pink was just a oneoff event in June 2004 at Camelot Restaurant. We had 100 guests and raised over BD5000, which was matched by a private donor, bringing the total to BD10,500. The response was overwhelming, and what began as a small gesture turned into something much bigger. We became the first breast cancer-specific NGO in Bahrain and today, ‘Think Pink’ is a recognised trademark. We’re proud of how the conversation and our reach have grown over the years. Pinktober
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