Dhofar University holds walkathon to support cancer patients

More sports Monday 19/February/2018 16:20 PM
By: Times News Service
Dhofar University holds walkathon to support cancer patients

Dhofar University organised a walkathon on the occasion of World Cancer Day, to support cancer patients. Some 100 people participated, including many of the academic staff of the university, their families and friends, making the event exciting, enjoyable and a resounding success.
The participants managed to collect more than OMR700. The money raised was donated to Dar Al Hanan, an endowment project of the Oman Cancer Society, which aims to provide material and moral support to cancer patients, in terms of housing, psychological, administrative, and counselling support.
“We are emphasising the importance of providing support to social causes and cancer patients. Our goal is to spread awareness regarding this disease, to prevent it, and to contribute to supporting Dar Al Hanan and cancer patients,” Faisal Al Hammadi, Foundation Programme Director at Dhofar University, explained.
“The prevalence of cancer is on the rise,” Dr Ahmed Al-Ani said. “We need to raise awareness and change our lifestyle. We need to pay attention to the suffering of these patients and provide them with support.”
The Omani Cancer Association is working hard to combat cases of cancer in Oman by creating awareness.
The most common types of cancers that are on the rise in the Sultanate, according to Ahid Al Kharusi, president of the Oman Cancer Association (OCA), are breast, colorectal, thyroid, and lung cancers. “Some 20 per cent of diabetic patients, who are mainly obese, are suffering from colorectal cancer,” Dr Al Kharusi said.
“Lung cancer is on the rise due to the consumption of cigarettes and sheesha. One puff of sheesha is equal to smoking 10 cigarettes. The presence of oestrogen in women’s bodies, combined with smoke, causes cardiac arrest,” he noted.
“Currently, 40 per cent of cancer cases are caused by smoking,” he added.
The iconic Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) was lit up on February 4 to observe World Cancer Day. The move was aimed at creating awareness about cancer and to show cancer patients, survivors, and their families that they were not alone and that the country embraced them. It was also meant to endorse Oman’s global role in the prevention and control of cancer nationally and globally.