In October 2008, IIE introduced Dr. Nagi Khouri to the HAAD team and the Global Initiative in the UAE.  This began a lasting relationship between HAAD and Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center that enabled HAAD staff to attend a clinical breast exam training conducted by Dr. Nagi in UAE later that month, and also created an opportunity for Central Region Master Trainer Dr. Lamia Safi El Deen to visit the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center on a study tour in Baltimore, Maryland in February 2009.

• The study tour provided examples of best practices and strategies employed by target partners in counseling women to pursue screening; best practices and tools for effective communication with women about sensitive issues of breast health; and general best practices in a variety of other aspects of breast health.
• In addition to site visits at the Hopkins Breast Care Center, a site visit and meetings at the Muslim Community Center Clinic (MCC) provided a non-hospital example of best practices above. MCC has been successful, with the help of a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure, in increasing early detection dramatically and quickly through methods of breast health navigators and a multi-method follow-up.