RIYADH: Lulu Saudi Hypermarkets has announced a month-long breast cancer awareness campaign starting from Wednesday in Riyadh and Al-Khobar. The campaign launched in cooperation with the Zahra Breast Cancer Association (ZBCA) will target about 10,000 customers who visit the stores during the given period. Packer Koya P. Ali, Lulu's Regional Director told a press conference here, Tuesday that the campaign, launched as part of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), will target women from all walks of life. Shehim Mehammed Unni, Commercial Manager, Lulu was also present. Ali said Lulu under Yusuf Ali, the owner of the Lulu Hypermarket chain in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, has allocated a fund of SR5 million for organizing charity activities that are aimed at creating health awareness or helping people in need. Unni said cancer is a debilitating disease and can be cured if diagnosed at an early stage. The incidence rate of breast cancer is 10.4 percent and it is the fifth most common cause of death in the world, he said without giving any figures for Saudi Arabia. “Lulu in cooperation with ZBCA will organize seminars, lectures and a number of cultural activities aimed at educating women on the importance of the early diagnosis of the disease,” he said. ZBCA, under the Presidency of Princess Haifa'a Bint Faisal Bin Abdulaziz, will invite a number of prominent doctors, research scholars and specialists from the US and the UK to deliver lectures on the topic of the early diagnosis and cure of breast cancer. He said Lulu will encourage women customers to participate in a number of activities by handing out pamphlets and brochures informing them about the schedule of programs. To make the event livelier, Unni said Lulu will organize a women-oriented competition under the banner of the ‘pink ribbon', which denotes the importance of timely medical screening. “Lulu will transform its brand red color into a ‘pink ribbon' for the entire campaign period,” Ali said. Women customers can participate in four different types of competitions and win fabulous prizes in glass/hand painting, basket making, artificial flower making and embroidery work. The winning works will be auctioned and the amount generated will be donated to ZBCA, he said. Lulu will also ask customers three simple questions on breast cancer. Customers can submit their entries during the course of the campaign. Five winners from each category can win prizes such as laptops, LCD TVs, home appliances and many other things.
