womanthismonth.com | OCTOBER 2025 HEALTH 24 Each October, the world turns pink to honour Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In Bahrain, this month carries special weight, marking not just solidarity but also decades of progress in how women approach, detect and fight the disease. What was once shrouded in silence is now spoken of openly with greater awareness, stronger healthcare initiatives and women’s voices leading the way. From Awareness to Action In 2005, Bahrain took a historic step when the Bahrain Cancer Society and the Ministry of Health launched the National Campaign for the Early Detection of Breast Disease. For the first time, women across the Kingdom were actively encouraged to perform self-exams, undergo mammograms and speak openly about their breast health. The results were significant. Data from the Bahrain Cancer Registry revealed a decline in age-standardised incidence rates, from 58.2 per 100,000 in 2000 to 44.4 in 2010, not because the disease had vanished but because it was being caught earlier. The campaign helped shift the culture from fear and late diagnosis toward prevention and proactive care. The Power of Early Detection For Dr. Sally Adnan Aljubour, Consultant General Laparoscopic and Breast Surgery at Royal Bahrain Hospital, the message is simply: timing saves lives. “Catching breast cancer at an earlier stage dramatically increases the chances of successful treatment and a full recovery,” she says. “Early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival rates.” She advises women to prioritise three steps: monthly self-exams, clinical breast exams by a specialist and regular mammograms after 40. “A mammogram can reveal changes long before they can be felt,” she notes, giving women the chance to treat cancer before it becomes lifethreatening. Dr. Aljubour also stresses that while breast cancer cannot be prevented entirely, lifestyle choices matter. “Eating a balanced diet, exercising, maintaining a moderate weight, breastfeeding and avoiding smoking and alcohol can all reduce your risk,” she explains.
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