H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, will be attend the grand opening ceremony of the seventh annual Pink Caravan Ride (PCR) at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club, on Tuesday, 7th March.

Wearing the theme, ‘7 Years... For 7 Emirates’, the 10-day breast awareness ride will travel across the seven emirates, offering free screenings and expert medical advice to both locals and residents of the UAE.

The opening ceremony will be held in the presence of prominent local, regional and international figures, most notably Princess Dina Mired, President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health and Prevention, Jose Luis Castro, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Alliance Chairperson, and Erdem Ozan, Consul General of Turkey.

On Day 1 of the PCR, riders representing diverse nationalities and age groups will embark their horses at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club at 10:00am, and ride across the emirate supporting breast cancer awareness and spreading hope. The first day’s ride will conclude at Masafi Hospital at 6:50pm.

The Pink Caravan Ride will be accompanied by mobile clinics as it travels from one emirate to another. This medical clinic will feature professional medical teams, that will attend to both male and female visitors who will walk in for free breast cancer screenings and expert medical advice, daily from 9:00am to 7:00pm.

Mobile medical clinics will be available on Tuesday at Masafi Hospital in Fujairah, the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Family Health Centre, Sharjah Ruler's Court and Sajaya Young Ladies, in Sharjah. The mobile mammogram medical clinic will be available at Al Dhaid Hospital in Sharjah.

For the first time in the past six years, the Pink Caravan Ride will inaugurate a fixed clinic in each emirate, which will operate from 4:00pm to 10:00pm.

Expert medical teams will be stationed at these clinics, who will walk visitors through free breast cancer screenings, and take up their queries.

The locations for the fixed clinics are as follows: Al Majaz Waterfront, Sharjah; Dubai City Walk; Abu Dhabi Corniche; Ajman Corniche; Al Hamra Mall, Ras Al Khaimah; Al Khazzan Healthcare Clinic; Umm Al Qawiain; and Al Faseel Health Promotion Center, Fujairah.

Since its inception in 2011, the Pink Caravan Ride has sought to promote awareness about breast cancer and the importance of its early detection. It has come a long way in dispelling misconceptions surrounding the disease, and has played a significant role in reducing its occurrence and progression to advanced stages – thanks to the generous financial support and donations that have funded free examinations, which have saved lives of many citizens and residents of the UAE.

In its past six editions, the Pink Caravan has offered breast cancer examinations to over 41,000 people of all ages and nationalities in the UAE, and has covered over 1,440km with 400 riders and 650 volunteers who support the cause.