Addressing a gathering of businesswomen and top members of charities and social groups at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the princess said that her charity Alf Khair would run the initiative in partnership with several government and private sector organizations.
These organizations include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs, Princess Noura University, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, General Presidency for Sports and Youth Welfare, Saudi Fund for Human Resources, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Association, and sponsoring companies.
Over 10,000 women over 14 are expected to gather on Dec. 12 at Princess Noora University to form the world’s largest human pink ribbon shape on record. The aim is to draw the nation’s attention to the increasing number of breast cancer cases and deaths. The campaign would also provide much needed education on prevention and treatment.
According to reports, few women survive breast cancer in Saudi Arabia because there is much less screening and often the late discovery of the disease. This is due mostly to stigma and cultural reasons, which could be countered with awareness and education.
According to Princess Reema, breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women aged 20 to 59 in the Kingdom. Stigma and the worry of being branded as unhealthy prevent women in rural areas from seeking help.
Women in Arab countries are typically diagnosed some 10 years younger than their Western peers, and in much later stages of the disease, radically reducing their chances of survival. Princess Reema said she hoped that 10KSA would not just break records, but also get people to talk about women’s health.
She hoped that the event would raise SR5 million to kick start an endowment fund for the Zahra Breast Cancer Association. Sponsors in Saudi Arabia such as Alwaleed Philanthropies, Uber, General Electric and Al-Saif Construction Company have already pledged their support.
Princess Reema is a granddaughter of the late Crown Prince Sultan and daughter of Prince Bandar, the former Saudi ambassador to the United States and chief of the National Security Council.
She is a founding member of the Zahra Breast Cancer Association and chief executive officer of the luxury retailer Alfa International, which operates the Harvey Nichols department store in Riyadh.
The princess is known for leading a movement to bring more Saudi women into the workforce. In 2014 she was included in the Most Creative People list for her efforts, which included ousting several dozen Harvey Nichols salesmen to hire female clerks.
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