Consulate General Events 2008
First Anniversary of the ‘Making it Our Business’ Breast Cancer Awareness Program
October 15, 2008 – In 2006, the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Research and Awareness was launched by First Lady Laura Bush. A little over a year later, in October 2007, Mrs. Bush visited Dubai to launch the expansion of the Partnership and the creation of the Making it Our Business program. The program in Dubai is implemented by Vital Voices Global Partnership, working with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Making it Our Business program works through partner corporations, which have implemented breast cancer awareness and detection programs. It seeks to educate women about the risk factors for breast cancer and encourages them to engage in an early detection routine.
Making it Our Business was launched in 2007 as a partnership between leading US and UAE companies. US founding corporate participants include GM, FedEX, GE, Microsoft and Johnson and Johnson. UAE founding participants include Dubai Holdings, Dubai World, EMAAR, the al Tayer Group, the al Gurg Group, Burjuman and the Dubai Chamber.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and on October 15th, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a gala event to celebrate the first anniversary of the Making it Our Business program in Dubai. Speaking to the guests about the progress of this remarkable U.S.-Middle East partnership program were H.E. Hisham Al Shirawi, Vice Chairman, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry; H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State: H.E. Raja Al Gurg, President, Dubai Business Women Council: noted surgeon Dr. Houriya Kazim, founder of the “Brest Friends” education and awareness campaign, and Consul General Paul Sutphin.