The First Lady of Breast Cancer
First Lady Laura Bush has been in the Middle East — Jordan and Saudi Arabia — working to advance the plight of Arab women diagnosed with breast cancer. She even took time out to have coffee with survivors yesterday; helping to ‘break the silence’ of these women and ‘lift the veil‘ from this disease.
I read this in a brief from the Associated Press today:“Breast cancer is the No. 1 killer of women in the United Arab Emirates, according to official statistics, with many dying because the stigma surrounding the disease prevents early detection and treatment.”
So Mrs. Bush is there — explaining a collaborative effort between the US and the Middle East to put an end to this disease. She’s personally vested in the cause — both her mother and grandmother had the illness, her chief of staff Anita McBride said.
Women in the Middle East have so many cultural nuances working against them. Women can’t be examined by male doctors and male technicians work the mammography equipment. Women fear that if they are diagnosed with the disease, their daughters will be less attractive as brides. It’s just messed up. These women are still fighting for their rights; apparently they are fighting for their lives as well.
Anyway, back to our First Lady. I have such respect for her, such admiration. No matter what some people think about our President (and I’m not going there, but another blogger did if you’re interested), can anyone deny that she is an incredible woman doing incredible things in this world?
cancer, breast cancer, Laura Bush, First Lady
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