Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Wear pink, get involved, help save lives

What’s On supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including how to get involved in Breast Cancer Awareness initiatives in the UAE.

More…
– Healthy takeaways
– Gluten-free UAE
– Your health questions
– Lunch-hour beauty
– Are you a fussy foodie?
– Be good to yourself

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, with the disease being the second leading cause of death among women. Nearly half of all cases are found in those in the 50 to 69 age group, and, although breast cancer is the most-commonly diagnosed cancer in women, it can be diagnosed in men too.

Contrary to popular belief, most cases of breast cancer don’t run in the family, with around five per cent of breast cancers are caused by inheriting a faulty gene. Your wider health is also a major factor, with obesity increasing the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer by up to 30 per cent.

They are worrying statistics. So this month, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, What’s On are part of the cause, bringing you information on how can you can do your part to help save lives.

EAT AND DRINK

Afternoon tea
Grab the girls and enjoy a high tea, including goodies such as egg sandwiches on pumpernickel, and pink pastries, washed down with lashings of tea. Dhs10 from every person will be donated to locally based breast cancer charity, Pink Caravan.

Fairmont The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily noon to 6pm, Dhs125. Tel: (04) 4573388. Taxi: The Palm Jumeirah. fairmont.com

ACTIVE

Swim and run
The Ignite Fitness And Wellness’ Pink Is Punk campaign is back and planning to raise even more funds for the Safe & Sound Breast Cancer awareness campaign. With a variety of swims and runs available to take part in depending on age and level, this is a great day out for the family.

October 10
Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort And Spa, The Palm, Dubai, 7.15am. Taxi:  The Palm. premieronline.com

Bikram Yoga
Club Stretch is hosting a dedicated Bikram Yoga morning every Friday in October with the entrance fees going to Brest Friends, a local cancer support group. Make October your excuse to get flexible for a great cause.

Club Stretch, Marina View Towers, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Fri, 11am, Dhs70. Tel: (04) 4311758. Taxi: Behind Radisson Blu Hotel. clubstretch.ae

Walkathon
The signature event of the BurJuman Safe & Sound Campaign is back and rallying troops to join in on this fun community walk at Zabeel Park. If a simple 2km walk isn’t enough to tempt you down, the activities and gigs certainly will.

October 31
Zabeel Park, Dubai, 7am, Dhs50 adults, Dhs30 children. Taxi: Gate 1, Zabeel Park. burjuman.com

Pool party
After a runaway success in previous years, SolidariTea Arabia is planning a party by the pool. Get free admission and nibbles while watching the sun go down from The Dek On 8 in Dubai Media City, with all donations going towards Brest Friends. With only 300 spaces available, be sure to register sharpish.

October 21
Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, Dubai, 5.30 to 8pm. Metro: Nakheel. facebook.com/solidarity

FASHION & PAMPERING

Buy pink at sivvi.com
Buy any pink product in the month of October from fashion website sivvi.com and 10% of the proceeds go to Breast Cancer Arabia.

sivvi.com

Mani/pedi
Check in for your usual mani/pedi at Tips & Toes and have the option of donating Dhs5 to the Pink Caravan, which the salon will match and double with its own donation. Now that’s what we call beauty with a cause.

Arjaan Rotana Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, daily 9am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 4370874. Metro: Nakheel. tipsandtoes.com

Take a selfie of your mani
Guilty of being an over-sharer on Instagram? Put it to good use this month by snapping a selfie of your pink mani courtesy of The Nail Spa and pop it on to Instagram with the hashtag #TNSforbreastcancerarabia and tag @breastcancerarabia and @thenailspa_me. Not only will you spread the word, you’ll be in with a chance to win a year of mani-pedis. On top of that, The Nail Spa will donate Dhs10 for every Dhs500 a client spends in the salon.

The Nail Spa, Ibn Battuta Mall, Jebel Ali, Dubai, daily 9am to 9pm. Tel: (600) 544001. Metro: Ibn Battuta. thenailspa.com

Product launch
Elemis has released a limited edition of its No 1 bestseller Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, in the hope it reminds women to get regular breast scans. Elemis has also pledged to donate Dhs63,000 towards supporting women undergoing treatment for breast cancer and their families.

Dhs833, elemis.ae

Pink spa menu
SensAsia Urban Spa has put together a special menu of treatments for the month of October with a pink theme. Not only do you get to indulge in a bit of pampering, 100 per cent of the treatment price will be donated to Friends Of Cancer. Treatments include a Balinese massage and a coconut and rose body buff, all with a rosy twist.

Al Nafura Beach Club 1, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 4227115. Taxi: Between Shoreline Apartments 1&2. sensasiaspas.com

HEALTH

The Ultimate Health Handbook
Good health advice can cost a pretty dirham. In fact, so costly is it to get expert advice that for a full head-to-toe consultation, from the top gurus, you’re looking at paying over Dhs50,000, usually. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our friends at Emirates Woman have created the ultimate health handbook containing all the wellbeing advice you need to enjoy life to the fullest. To download your copy for free, visit Emirates Woman.

ABU DHABI

ACTIVE

Run and swim
Original Fitness Co. have joined forces with Saadiyat Public Beach to organise a three-staged event of run/swim/run for Breast Cancer Awareness UAE. There are categories for those as young as five and as old as 99 – so there’s no excuse to not get involved for such a worthy cause

October 3
Saadiyat Public Beach, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Taxi: Next to Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi. premieronline.com

Kayaking
With the weather cooling down, there’s nowhere that we can think of that we’d rather be than kayaking around the mangroves at the Pink Paddle. With Dhs100 of the entrance fee from each participant going towards Abu Dhabi-based cancer support group, Bosom Buddies, this is a chance to experience some of the exotic wildlife on our doorstep while supporting a local cause.

October 10
Eastern Mangroves By Anantara, Eastern Ring Road, Abu Dhabi, 9am to 11am, Dhs150. Tel: (02) 6561152. Taxi: Eastern Mangroves By Anantara. abu-dhabi.anantara.com

EAT & DRINK

Coffee morning
There’s nothing better than a decent cuppa, a slice of cake and a natter with the girls. Throw in a raffle and discounts at local stores such as Phoenix Cards and Desert Diamonds and you’ve got yourself a pretty good morning. Proceeds from the coffee morning will go towards Breast Cancer Arabia.

October 23
The Clubhouse, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, 9.30am to noon, Dhs40. Taxi: Zayed Sports City. lisairwin78@gmail.com

Brunch
A Hello Kitty theme hits the Holiday Inn brunch for breast cancer awareness. Kids under six will eat for free and mum and dad can enjoy some alone time as the little ones enjoy the activities on offer and vie for the title of Hello Kitty’s biggest fan.

October 10
Holiday Inn, 31st Street, Abu Dhabi, 12.30pm to 4pm, Dhs139 with soft drinks, Dhs179 with house beverages. Tel: (02) 6574856. Taxi: Between Airport and Muroor Road. holidayinn.com

Ladies’ night
Every Thursday in Stills is ladies’ night and throughout the month of October you are invited to give a donation when buying one of their signature kisses, writing your name and message on it and adding it to the Kiss Off wall. The proceeds from Kiss Off Cancer will be divided between the Pink Ladies and BRAS Cancer Awareness.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, 8pm to 1am. Tel: (02) 6563000. Taxi: Crowne Plaza Hotel. crowneplaza.com