Sharjah24: In a heartwarming display of dedication to childhood cancer awareness, Friends Of Cancer Patient's (FOCP) extended the impact of their “ANA” initiative at the Health Promotion Department’s section in the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah pavilion, during the 15th annual Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), currently taking place in Expo Centre Sharjah.

FOCP orchestrated a special session headed by Mariam Al Harmoodi, Head of Community Engagement at FOCP. The session was geared towards educating young attendees about the main symptoms of childhood cancer and ways to prevent it through a healthy lifestyle and diet.

As part of their awareness outreach efforts, FOCP distributed ANA Goodie bags containing a copy of Salha Ghabesh's Arabic book Raheek al Ward to the children, in addition to an awareness brochure by FOCP’s Ana initiative, ensuring they took home valuable information and resources. Mariam Al Harmoodi engaged the children with interactive flashcards illustrating the seven symptoms of childhood cancer, fostering awareness and understanding among the young audience.

Commenting on FOCP’s participation, Al Harmoodi said, “We believe that knowledge is a formidable tool in combating childhood cancer. By educating the young minds at this year’s Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, we are empowering the next generation to be vigilant and proactive in keeping cancer at bay, and to bravely fight it if they are diagnosed. Every child deserves a chance at a healthy, vibrant future, and through initiatives like ANA, we are committed to making that a reality.”

The ANA Initiative, an integral part of FOCP's broader “Kashf” initiative focusing on early cancer detection, aims to shed light on the nine common warning signs of childhood cancer. With childhood cancer ranking as the fourth leading cause of death among children under 15 in modernised nations, according to the World Health Organization, the importance of early detection cannot be overstated.

By combining advocacy, education, and creativity, FOCP's ANA Initiative continues to make a meaningful difference in raising awareness and promoting early detection of childhood cancer