The launch of the Global Initiative in Egypt coincided with the first ever Race for the Cure in Egypt in October 2009 and marked the “Breaking of the Silence” around breast cancer issues for Egyptians.  In 2010, a National network meeting took place in conjunction with the second Race. Through these events, the Global Initiative celebrated a network of more than 100 strong that had already come together over breast cancer in just one year.

• The Race for the Cure around the Great Pyramids of Giza was organized by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, a key international partner in the Global Initiative,  and the Global Initiative’s lead partner in Cairo, the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE).
• “The week’s events are a demonstration of the cooperation between countries, governments, civil society, advocates, survivors and the global community as a whole,” said Dr. Mohamed Shaalan, chairman of the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt. “It shows that breast cancer has no boundaries and reveals the beauty of the world’s unity in its fight against breast cancer. The week will stand as a great addition to the global breast cancer movement, especially in the Middle East.” (“Casting a Light on Breast Cancer, October 2009, John’s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/ Center for Communications Programs)