DELIVERING EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL SERVICES courage women to check for breast cancer. I believe that to invest in women’s health, you’re investing in the community’s health. At the end of the day, it’s a daughter, mother or sister who is diagnosed. If she’s a mother, she’ll take care of her daughter or her son if she’s healthy. If she’s not healthy, this will affect her whole family.”
she claims “definitely impacted my personality.” She recalled one sullen event: “I went on a mission to Afghanistan for two weeks. One of the base camps there had a small clinic and they used to send doctors from the UAE to cover the clinic. There, I was exposed to people who had just stepped on IEDs (landmines), so they would come to the clinic with an amputated leg in a very serious condition. This really added to my view of life and how precious life really is.”
appreciate health until sickness comes’. We can’t guarantee life, but we have evidence-based medicine and research, which can ensure a long, healthy life is possible.”
Another post, which proved particularly pertinent to Dr. Mai’s career, was her appointment to first an administrative role, and then to the Board of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy. “I was involved in the establishment of the academy, which really developed my career and my administrative skills. I learnt a lot from the athletes themselves, especially how to have a target and reach that target, to reach your goals. I also learnt how to be passionate about what you love.”
Women’s health in particular is at a pivotal point in the Emirates, as the number of gender-related illnesses continues to rise. Cancer, according to statistics, is the second leading cause of death behind cardiovascular disease. As a subset, a staggering 13 percent of women are diagnosed in the UAE every year with breast cancer. “One of my roles in healthcare is to promote well-being and a healthy lifestyle, and one of the most important parts of any healthcare program is education,” says Dr. Mai. “Most women know about breast cancer, but they don’t often know how to detect it. Breast cancer, if it’s detected early, can be 100 percent treated and cured.”
Today, Dr. Mai Al Jaber is Head of Public Health and the Women’s Wellness Initiative at Healthpoint Hospital in Abu Dhabi and a General Practitioner in its Department of Family Medicine. “When I have a female in my clinic I take a holistic approach, from head to toe. I say: ‘Take care of yourself. Life is precious. You don’t
Men too can suffer from breast cancer, though it is very rare. “We don’t have a statistic for men with breast cancer in the UAE, but in the UK there are about 350 men diagnosed each year, compared with around 50,000 cases of breast cancer in women. In general, less than one percent of all breast cancer occurs in men. It’s very rare because of hormonal differences but there
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I JOINED THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO SERVE MY COUNTRY.”
Breast cancer signs and symptoms, treatment and diagnosis are put under the microscope in October for pink month. “We dedicate a month to increase awareness and to en-
are a few cases which have been reported.” However, no one is immune to cancer, and there are risk factors. “Being female is a risk factor for breast cancer. If you have a member of your family who has had breast cancer, this is an added risk factor. So what we usually focus on are risk factors and then the signs and symptoms.” Education is a key part of understanding how to check for symptoms of breast cancer. Signs to look out for include: “A painless lump. Plus the skin changes and we see what we call the ‘orange peel effect’ on the surface near the lump.” However, according to Dr. Mai, “At the beginning there are no symptoms.” Lifestyle can also be a contributing factor. “A lack of exercise, a
Issue 10 - OCTOBER 2015
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