October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and there are lots of ways to help support the cause. From buying dedicated fundraising fashion items to cutting your hair for charity, PINKtober is all about educating women, highlighting the importance of screening and early detection, and increasing awareness about the disease – so wear your pink ribbon with pride!

SHOP AND SAVE LIVES

Guilt-free shopping is the very best kind of retail therapy, and this month, there’s no reason for feeling bad if you splurge on something fabulous if it’s raising money for a great cause.

Fashion brand Cult Gaia are donating 70% of the purchase price of specific pink products sold online through Cultgaia.com to the Women’s Cancer Research Fund, a program of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Agreeing to a minimum donation of AED‌113,500.00, and featuring five gorgeous items, the campaign runs from October 1 through December 31st, 2020.

Tallulah Earring – Pink, PRP AED 450, available at cultgaia.com

Maya Sandal – Rose, PRP AED 1150, available at cultgaia.com

Non-Medical Mask – Pink Multi, PRP AED 38, available at cultgaia.com

Gaia’s Turband – Pink Multi, PRP AED 260, available at cultgaia.com

Gaia’s Ark Nano Bag – Pink, PRP AED 1150, available at cultgaia.com

Meanwhile, UAE based online fashion boutique Hi Maintenance are showing their support by offering a 10%discount on all PINK items from their website, and by donating 15% of all jewellery sales for the entire month of October to the Al Jalila Foundation for its breast cancer research and treatment support for patients in need, in the UAE. Visit www.himaintenance.ae now and shop your favourite pieces whilst supporting critical breast cancer awareness and research.

GET YOUR BREASTS CHECKED

Being aware of any changes in your breasts is vital in the fight against breast cancer, so make this the month that you book in for a breast screening. A host of hospitals and clinics across the UAE are offering special rates on mammograms and checkups, so take advantage!

• Mediclinic are offering women aged 40 and over a free health consultation and discount on any mammogram or ultrasound advised by a doctor
• MVR Cancer Centre LLC are offering a mammogram test for women showing signs or symptoms of breast abnormalities from now until October. Find them at Flora Inn Hotel in Al Garhoud. 
• Kings College Hospital Dubai are offering mammograms to women for just AED 350 until the end of the month.

DONATE YOUR HAIR TO CHARITY

Hair loss is one of the most traumatic experiences a breast cancer patient goes through during their treatment. Educating the UAE on a variety of challenges cancer patients face in their treatment journey, including hair loss, leading GCC hair oil brand Dabur Amla has joined forces with Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP) and Tips & Toes Salon & Spa to launch ‘Strong Hair, Stronger you’ – a campaign to encourage UAE residents to donate their hair to create prosthetics for cancer patients. 

With 23 Tips & Toes outlets across the country participating in the drive, hair donated through the month of October will be used to make high-quality hair prosthetics for breast cancer patients, then to other cancer sufferers from November 1-December 15. 

Want to help? Donating is easy. Hair must be clean, dry and healthy, and be at least 30 cm long, and can be coloured or dyed hair, as long as the dye is of natural colour.

Donors can plait their hair and cut it off themselves, insert it into a sealed plastic bag and drop it in the donation box at participating Tips & Toes branches. Better still, if you book in to have your hair cut in-salon, you’ll get the cut for free as well as 30% discount on hair colour services when donating your hair. 

To take part, register at www.duburamla.ae 

GET ACTIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS

Staying in shape while raising money for a great cause is more than enough reason to get your gym kit on, and Dubai-based fitness experts IGNITE are supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month once again with PINK IS PUNK 2020. Hosting a variety of special events throughout the month at Riva Beach, Umm Sequim, participants can enjoy a dedicated swim/run, yoga or paddleboarding session between October 9 and 28, all while raising money for charity. Open to participants of all ages, fitness levels and abilities, all proceeds from the registration fee will go to ‘Breast Friends’, in association with Al Jalila Foundation.

• WHEN: 9th Oct – 28th Oct
• WHERE: RIVA Beach, Umm Suqeim
• TIME: IGNITE Pink is Punk Moonlit Yoga: From 07:30 pm | IGNITE Pink is Punk Hiit and IGNITE Pink is Punk Sunrise Yoga: From 06:30 am | IGNITE Pink is Punk Paddle: From 06:00 am
• PRICE: IGNITE Pink is Punk Moonlit Yoga, IGNITE Pink is Punk Hiit and IGNITE Pink is Punk Sunrise Yoga: AED 105 | IGNITE Pink is Punk Paddle: AED 105 – AED 156.5

For more information: +971-4-456-2482