Registration for the Race/Walk for the Cure has begun across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), with the event scheduled to take place on September 29th in Sarajevo at 11 a.m.
Support is also coming from Tuzla, where dedicated volunteers remind participants that the minimum donation is 15 BAM for adults, although larger contributions are welcome based on individual capacity, to support this traditional, socially responsible project.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of women die from breast cancer, and around 1.3 million new cases are diagnosed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women worldwide. If detected early, the chances of recovery are high. However, regular mammogram screenings are essential for detecting the disease. The Tuzla Women’s Association, through registrations for the “Race/Walk for the Cure,” aims to raise funds for women in need of these screenings.
“We urge citizens to register and, through donations of 15 BAM, contribute to ensuring that next year, as many women as possible receive free mammogram screenings,” said Radmila Hadzimustafic, Coordinator of the Breast Cancer Awareness Section.
Munevera Jahic, a member of the Breast Cancer Awareness Section, added: “It’s a bit more difficult here with mammograms due to long waiting times, but it’s better to be on the list than to wait until it develops inside you and it becomes too late.”
Although breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor and a frequent cause of death in women, if detected early, it is curable in more than 90% of cases. However, shame and stigma remain common reasons for the low number of screenings, leading to an increasing number of cases each year. The exact number of women diagnosed in the Tuzla Canton (TC) is unknown because there is no registry.
“Every week, 5-8 women undergo new surgeries. Unfortunately, this is a large number. We urge women to get screened in a timely manner, come for mammograms, and participate in these initiatives,” emphasized Hadzimustafic.
Jahic also warned about the impact of shame and stigma: “You know, women are often the pillars of their families, and we tend to push these things aside – thinking it won’t happen to us, that there’s something more important. But illness doesn’t wait, and neither does cancer.”
Registration is available in 20 local communities across BiH for all those who wish to be part of this humanitarian cause.
All the funds raised from registration will be directed towards mammogram screenings in rural areas of BiH, first aid packages for every newly operated woman, psychosocial support, and other activities. According to the official Race for the Cure website, within the first five days of the campaign, more than 100 teams were formed, over a thousand participants and sponsors registered, and more than 35.000 BAM was raised.
Race for the Cure is the largest European sporting event dedicated to women’s health, supporting organizations involved in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, as well as hospitals, by raising funds and awareness about this disease.
