7th Annual Think Pink Gala Dinner

Platinum Sponsors:

Corporate Table Sponsors:

In-Kind Sponsors:

Gala Speech by Jules Sprakel

Good evening Ladies and Gentleman, and welcome to Think Pink Bahrain's seventh annual gala evening event, at The Gulf Hotel and Convention Centre. This is the charity's final event for the month of October, which saw not only awareness lectures to local business, schools and society's but 35 different events within the 31 days. None of this would be possible without the support of the local community, through events, private donations and sponsorship.

We are proud, that even during this difficult year, Think Pink Bahrain is hosting the largest number of corporate sponsors ever at a gala evening event , and the largest number of patrons at a gala evening event: 650people. It is this commitment that has set a solid foundation for the charity. We have achieved many milestones: the first and second installments totally 140,000 BD directed to the MRI Fund. A total of 6 healthcare professionals to Germany to study a course that is not available in Bahrain and three nurses currently studying for their Master's, specializing in breast cancer. The first of which will in December with an International qualification not available anywhere else in the GCC.

This drive could not be done without the support of many individuals and corporations.

To our three platinum sponsors', thank you all for your unwavering support.

Gulf Brands International, Mr Ron Peters and his team. Thanks again for generously sponsoring the beverages here this evening and the Ladies Golf event. Nobody can say that you are a typical Scotsman as each year we grow in numbers and you still continue to support us and we look forward to continuing this collaboration.

RCSI Bahrain, Dr Faisal and the RCSI Bahrain Team. Working for a not-for-profit charity, you teach us that charity is not a competition but if you pull together in the same direction, anything is possible. Thank you my RCSI Bahrain family, for rallying around to support the campaign again this year. From the domestic staff, security, staff and students it is an honour to work with you all.

The Royal Golf Club, the team again managed a total of 118 golfers over two days. It's an end of an era, with Mr Philus Mertent Jones leaving. I would like to thank him for his commitment to Think Pink Bahrain and the belief that this idea….all those years ago would work. We wish you all the success for the future. We raised over 8000 bd this year and we hope that the team are willing to take the reins and continue to drive the Education Fund.

To our corporate table sponsor's, thank you. Many new companies are on board this year and we hope to nurture this collaboration for our future campaigns; Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School, Al Moayyed Group, Abdul Rahman Kanoo, Batelco, Bapco, BIC, BMI, EK Kanoo, Ernst & Young, Fraser Suites, Gulf Air, Gulf Hotel Bahrain, Jawad's Business Group, Kentz, Mohammed Fakhroo & Brothers, YK Al Moayyed, Nissan, Infiniti, Ford & Renault, and Worley Parsons.

To our private donators we thank you. And an important donation received this week from a local business of 40,000 dollars directed again to the MRI Fund. This company will make Think Pink Bahrain their charity of choice for 2012.

Our 2010/2011 brand ambassador, Mr. Sami Khooeji. You have manage to spread our campaign to a different platform, for that we thank you. We thank you for your commitment once again, and support us as an ambassador until we close this MRI Fund. You are a genuine gentleman, and a credit to you country and profession.

To the media collaborations; monthly, weekly and daily's, both in English and Arabic. Thank you for working with the charity to showcase our events, launch our campaign and support through revealing stories to highlight breast cancer awareness. You have all given the charity an amazing platform and your support has been invaluable.

LOWE, the team has again outshone themselves with the charity's 2011 campaign: Share the Light, A Touch is all it takes. Passionate, driven, and dynamic they have become like family to us at the charity and year after year have branded each campaign with a new leash of life.

The production company BPK productions who helped us reach a milestone for being on the radio for the first time, and reaching both an English and Arabic audience. This is also due to Akram Miknas who generously sponsored the radio air time and billboards that will be running till December.

Phil Waymouth and Haitham, your photographs have been able to capture iconic moments that highlight the effort of the community during this month. Thank you.

Ahmed, you have created a website that enabled the charity to win the E' Gov award this year. You definitely get bonus points for putting up with 7 demanding woman, and still smile. Thank you for your time, patience and creativity.

The Think Pink Bahrain Team…ladies, we did it yet again. I would like to thank Tahera, Lamees, Anita, Dee, Pam, Fatma and Zandra…ladies and gentleman these are 7 amazing woman who have worked hard to bring you these October events. These amazing woman are inspirations and I admire them all individually, and as a group, together we are a true force. That is proof with the money that we have raised and the awareness that they have spread through the island. With the same vision and mission about raising awareness never changing, we continue to aim for our remaining target of 370,000 BD and to purchase Bahrain's first government hospital digital MRI machine. A community project: for the community by the community. They deserve a huge round of applause.

To all our volunteers that have worked to both spread awareness and sell our merchandise, we thank you for your commitment and drive to change the taboo's about breast cancer. This includes the World Beat Fitness/SAPIN collaboration for the sales of the chocolate covered dates. The money raised to date is over 6,500 BD.

On a serious note, The most important moment for me from this whole campaign was just recently at a lecture at a local government girl's school. It is the moment that drove me forward and the reason that each of you are here tonight. I was approached after the lecture by a girl of about 16 years of age; she asked me, "Try your best Miss Julie. Omi ma tat my mother died of cancer, and we need this machine so that my sisters and I can make sure we don't get it. I promise to take home this card for my sisters and aunties” that card was the breast self examination card in English and Arabic; that's what drives me."

This young girl, a future Bahraini mother, aunty, someone's sister or friend is echoing the truth of what is happening here in the Kingdom. Statistics based on a random sample of breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy at the Oncology Centre at Salmanyia Medical Hospital showed that In 2010, 50% of breast cancer patients were between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Of the 30 – 50 yr age group, 81% were diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage, these are stages 2 and 3.

This is for 3 main reasons:

First, low awareness/education. Second, being turned away for a mammogram due to below age requirement. And the third, quoted from Dr Shubber, Director Oncology Centre Salmaniya Medical Hospital is a conclusion based on the data Think Pink Bahrain received, "the current screening programme is not effective”

It is based on these findings and the close work between the Oncology Department and the charity the decision was made to purchase the digital MRI. This was based on the statistics coming out of this unit: the age group of those patients being diagnosed and the request from both the Ministry of Health and Dr Shubber. The reason that this machine is going here, is because this general hospital will treat everyone, and is the only place on the island that does radiation and chemotherapy. Some private clinics have been known to give chemotherapy, but again it is the specialized nurses at Salmanyia Oncology Centre that dispense and do the procedures.

So while a new chapter unfolds around the world, there is one thing that will remain constant if we don't act.. and that is breast cancer in the Kingdom. The statistic won't change if we don't pull together as a team: nationals and expatriates. We can reduce these statistics, by raising awareness and these funds NOW. Don't pack away the frayed ribbons at the end of October. Keep them out as a reminder of what our goal is, this is the only way it will happen. We can't just shut our eyes to this issue for the other 11 months of the year…..we are effectively shutting our eyes to: Aiysha the 40 yr old mother, Maha the 25 years old student or Yasmin, the 56 year old grandmother.