The block between Heideveld and Vanguard Drive became a wave of pink on Wednesday as 300 - 500 people formed a human chain to raise awareness on breast cancer. The drive was part of Global Pink Hijab Day which called on Muslimahs to don a pink scarf to help create public awareness about an illness that affects 1 in 27 women every year. Leading the charge from the front were members of the ulema, Sheik Ebrahim Gabriels - president of the United Ulema Council of South Africa (Uucsa) - and Maulana Dawood Sampson of VOC's Q & A for Reverts program who got on the stationary bikes to spin for 10 minutes.
"As Muslims we believe that heaven lies at the feet of our mothers and therefore we honour all women. It is also time for us as men to become more involved in women's health and stop using them only for breakfast, lunch and supper. I want to thank VOC for using this initiative to make people aware of breast cancer and if we help even one woman today, we would have achieved our goal," Sheik Gabriels told VOC, after getting off his bike, not even winded after spinning for 10 minutes.
The message was ecchoed by his colleague who also brought with him a camera crew currently filming a set of DVD's for him which deals with health matters. According to the health conscious Ml Sampson, Muslims were often oblivious to health issues and initiatives like these helped to remind them that good health was part of the Islamic belief system. The spinning excercise also got members of the public to try their hands at it on bikes donated for the cause by Planet Fitness. At the same time, the spinners raised just over R2,500 in an imprompto collection drive for the Cancer Association of South Africa.
While Morning Expresso kept listeners informed on proceedings while speaking to breast cancer experts and survivors, the show also linked up with others who joined in the Global Pink Hijab Day drive from across the country. It included a link up to Humairah Jassat, the Gauteng teenager who made a huge effort to get Muslim schools to go pink on Wednesday. Others, including corporates like Absa Islamic Banking also came on board,handing out beautiful pink scarves that were instantly snapped up. More scarves will be given away to festival goers who will visit their stand at the VOC Homecoming Festival this weekend.
At 11h20, with a handful of cameramen on sight from community and mainstream media, the human chain began to form stretching half way around the block. From babies to toddlers to seniors, cancer survivors to those who had a lucky miss, VOC listeners - 95% of whom were women, lined up along Vanguard Drive. Proudly donning a pink scarf they won a round of hoots and honks from passing cars in a human chain that last 15 minutes.
"It was just long enough to make a point, without creating a traffic hazard. We were delighted by the turnout, alhamdulilah. By the time we got there at 8am, there were some people who had already begun to gather to have their free breast check at the Cansa mobile clinic. This was the most successful aspect of the day," says the project co-ordinator, Aisha Moeneimne, referring to the fact that almost 200 women were checked in a queue that went on well beyond 12pm. Two of the women who were checked were found to have had lumps in their breasts and will now go for further check ups.
"I spoke to one lady who discovered lumps in her breast today. As it turns out, her mother had died of cancer as well and she suspected something was wrong. She told me with tears in her eyes that she was glad she knows the truth now, but she almost wishes that she did not know. The head of the breast cancer department at Tygerberg Hospital who was one of our experts on the show, and Cansa will now follow up with her. I am saddened by the fact that such a positive day had bad news for two people, but on the other hand, this is the reality of breast cancer and we have been punting the fact that early detection saves lives."
Organisations like Mustadafin, Positive Muslims, the VOC Women's Network, Habibiya Pre-School and Exposure also came out in full force, dressed in pink. Others who were unable to join in person sent their support in other way. "I am thrilled pink because I am audio-streaming from our school's PC lab while my learners are doing Maths. All for the sake of breast cancer. Thanks VOC, you rock," one teacher and ardent listener smsed. VOC
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