Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us this evening at the Gulf Hotel & Convention Centre Bahrain to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Your presence is a testament to your commitment to Think Pink Bahrain—the only registered breast cancer-specific NGO in the Kingdom.

We began with humble roots, hosting a one-off event at Camelot that brought together 100 people and raised BD 5,500. This amount was generously matched by my then-sponsor, totaling BD 10,500 in donations. Two years later, we formed a Board and began the registration process, paving the way for our future.

Our team, both past and present, has navigated numerous challenges, and to date, we have raised over $3 million—all while balancing our full-time jobs. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who joined this adventure, but most importantly, for the friendships we have forged and the family we have created.

I must also extend my heartfelt thanks to their husband and partners, who understand the dedication and time commitment volunteering entails—often at the expense of time with younger family members.

This milestone has prompted reflection, and it is truly an honor to witness the magic that has unfolded over these 20 years, due to and with the unwavering support of our community—YOU. We are excited to welcome many new businesses and faces into our fold.

As we start the thank you’s off, as this night is about a celebration of 20 years. I would like to first  thank our 2024 Platinum Sponsors:

Platinum Sponsor

Reintroducing ourselves to many of the same companies has been challenging this year, yet these platinum sponsors didn’t hesitate. Acknowledging our letter and using their business prowess to drive the Charity forward this year has been critical for us to reignite the island’s passion for us once again. The island has changed significantly during the last seven years, and that was when we hosted our last official Think Pink Gala. We pride ourselves on having a direction and aim for channeling our funds. Our milestone in 2017 was the installation and operation of our digital MRI which cost half a million dinar. What followed was the National Breast Cancer Guidelines for Bahrain, developed with evidence based and endorsement from the European Commission and the Supreme Council of Health- this was funded by the longest Ribbon Challenge, which remains the largest community engagement initiative in Bahrain and the Longest Single Length Awareness Ribbon; 13, 126. 25 metres – trust us, ever centirmetre counted ….the pieces were 20cm lengths tied to connect and stretch two and a half laps of the Bahrain International Circuit!!

Gold Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Media Partners

In Kind

On a serious note, many of us within this room tonight are fortunate enough to go abroad of a second opinion most of the population (both expats and Bahraini) cannot. This is why we campaign and are so passionate about our mission, we know that we can make a change and we ensure that we look at gaps in the “system” then support the system and in turn the community of Bahrain.

The patient is always at the forefront of decisions that Think Pink Bahrain make on of our latest initiatives is the funding for the Artificial Intelligence (AI)  project being led by Dr Andy Ma and Dr Micheal Keogh. This project will impact patients who have had to traditionally await 10 to 12 days for results. This forward thinking project will be the first in the Kingdom and we expect in the GCC. The groundbreaking research leverages AI in conjunction with our state-of-the-art 1.5T MRI machine at the SMC (Specialized Medical Center). It aims to enhance breast cancer diagnosis and treatment outcomes. By utilising AI algorithms, we can improve the interpretation of MRI scans, increasing the accuracy of detecting breast cancer. This leads to earlier diagnosis and better treatment options for patients. The integration of AI enables the analysis of vast amounts of data, allowing for more personalised treatment plans based on individual patient profiles and tumor characteristics. By improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing unnecessary procedures, this project can lead to significant cost savings for healthcare systems in the long run. Along side this we are working on a patient advocacy tool that will be integrated into our existing application- the Team Patient approach has a lot of working parts, but we know that through feedback loops and from the National Breast Cancer Guidelines, that a phenomenological approach (or the lived experience) is key in our support. What a patient finds important must be the voice that reaches the multi-disciplinary team. These are two examples of our ongoing projects.

As we look to the future, we invite you to join us on this important mission. Consider how you can support our charity:

  • Make a donation-one chair at this gala will see just BD 15 directed towards the Charity. Two chairs support just one counselling session. Two tables represent genetic testing done via our partners at BioLab. 50 raffle tickets will support a customized lymphodema sleeve for a patient post mastectomy
  • Contribute as a corporate or individual for our collaborative project Race to a Million- the brainchild of Bahrain Bricks in which we endeavour to build a one million brick, i check ribbon standing over six metres high. This will enable our goal of a breast cancer centre- building on an existing heath centre, Race to a Million will enable the purchase of specific machines and training of Bahrain healthcare providers across the multidisciplinary team. Every brick tells a story, and every story is part of our very ambitious dream.- just 2  dinar is all it takes to be part of something exceptional- and happy birthday Mr David Robinson
  • Volunteer your time and skills- time being the most significant donation
  • Share our message with your network- that of our iconic iCheck application now at version 4 and home here in Bahrain thanks to the amazing team at Cloudme – thank you Ali

The statistics won’t change if we don’t pull together as a team: nationals and expatriates. We can reduce these statistics by raising awareness and these funds NOW. Don’t pack away the frayed ribbons at the end of October. Keep them out as a reminder of what our goal is, this is the only way it will happen. We can’t just shout our eyes to this issue for the other 11 months of the year…..we are effectively shutting our eyes to: Aiysha the 40 yr old mother, Maha the 25 years old student or Amina the 56 year old grandmother or Abdulla- the 45 year old Bahrain man diagnosed last year in the Kingdom.

As we look to the future, let us remember that together, we are not just a community; we are a force for change. Your support fuels our mission, and with each step forward, we create hope and resilience for those affected by breast cancer. Let’s continue this journey hand in hand, inspiring others and making a difference. Thank you for being part of our story, and here’s to many more years of making an impact together!”

 

Together, we go further