KUWAIT: The National Cancer Awareness Campaign (CAN) organized a special sporting event titled “Pink Lifebuoy” to boost the self-confidence of cancer survivors and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.
The event featured a friendly basketball game between the Makin Club team of survivors and the Soroptimist team of healthy individuals, in cooperation with the Fatat Sports Club, which hosted the game on its courts. The event was attended by Dr Hessa Majid Al-Shahin, member of the board of directors of the National Campaign (CAN) and head of the breast cancer awareness initiative. “The aim of holding such events is to boost the self-confidence of survivors, reintegrate them into society and encourage them to engage in physical activity and take care of their mental and physical health,” she said.
Al-Shahin added that through these activities, the campaign seeks to convey a social message that sport is a lifestyle that contributes to disease prevention and promotes public health. She noted that regular physical activity not only improves fitness, but also contributes to the prevention of chronic diseases and reduces the risk of cancer. She explained that global studies indicate that exercising for 30 minutes a day reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer by up to 40 percent.
Al-Shahin emphasized that sports play an important role in improving mental health, helping reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Physical activity acts by releasing happiness hormones such as endorphins, which give survivors a sense of confidence and psychological comfort and improve their quality of life.
She praised the significant support that the CAN campaign receives from the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its companies, emphasizing that this cooperation reflects the oil sector’s commitment to its social responsibility and its keenness to support national initiatives to promote health awareness and disease prevention. She explained that the partnership between the health and oil sectors is a national model to be emulated in uniting efforts to serve human and community health.
Nadia Al-Obaidi, psychologist and member of the Makin Club committee, provided moral support to the survivors, emphasizing the importance of recreational activities in raising morale and helping them return to normal life with confidence and positivity. The friendly match ended in an enthusiastic atmosphere, with the Makin team winning the gold cup, the Soroptimist coming in second, and the Fatat Sports Club receiving a shield of thanks and appreciation for hosting and continuously supporting this event over the years.
