Through its Felestineya Program, Bank of Palestine and Al Quds Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which is part of the Red Crescent Society, launched a joint awareness program on the importance of the early detection of breast cancer. The program aims to encourage women to undergo breast examinations at the various medical centers in general and Al Quds hospital in particular. The program was launched during a press conference held at the headquarters of the Red Crescent Society in the presence of Dr. Khalil Abu Ful, the General Director of Al Quds Hospital, Mr. Khaldum Abu Salim, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Bank of Palestine, and several doctors working at the hospital, in addition to media and press figures.
Mr. Abu Salim stressed that Bank of Palestine has been the leading partner for seven years in the awareness campaigns that stress the importance of the early detection of breast cancer. The bank commenced its activities with local partners in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including the Relief and Hope Society for Cancer Patients and the Dunya Women’s Cancer Center, and these campaigns managed to record considerable success and qualitative achievements. Abu Salim stated: “we began to notice results through the cooperation of a great number of women who approached us to conduct the test for the early detection of breast cancer.” “These campaigns contributed to saving the lives of many women who detected the disease at an early stage and underwent immediate treatment,” he added.
Abu Salim also spoke about the 2016 music marathon that was organized by the Bank with its cultural partner, the Trio Joubran, and which lasted 12 continuous hours, and managed to achieve the record of the longest musical marathon in Palestine. The marathon involved the participation of almost 100 artists who raised funds that were later allocated to cover the examination expenses for many Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip, in addition to equipping a mobile Pink Clinic to raise cancer awareness.
Dr. Abu Ful expressed his enthusiasm about the established partnership with Bank of Palestine to implement a project for the early detection of breast cancer. He pointed out that the support obtained by Al Quds Hospital in the Gaza Strip contributed to the implementation of several medical examinations for social hardship cases and saved many of them who were unaware that they carried the disease.
Dr. Abu Ful expressed hope in the continuation of his partnership between the Gaza-based Al Quds Hospital and the Red Crescent Society on the one hand, and Bank of Palestine and private sector organizations, on the other, in implementing projects that contribute to serving and preserving the health of Palestinian society.
It is important to mention that Bank of Palestine allocates approximately 5% of its annual profits to corporate social responsibility projects in support of all sectors, including health, education, culture and sports.