Saud bin Talal launches Al-Ahsa cancer initiative with broad community support

Saud bin Talal bin Badr, Governor of Al-Ahsa, on Tuesday launched the 'Azwa' Al-Ahsa Against Cancer initiative at the governorate headquarters. Organized by the Tafaol Charity Association for Cancer Care, the initiative aims to unify the efforts of government, private, and non-profit sectors in an integrated system for cancer prevention and control, while enhancing the quality of life for patients and survivors.

The governor highlighted the strong support and attention the health and non-profit sectors receive from the Saudi leadership, reflecting a commitment to improving quality of life and advancing healthcare and preventive services. He stressed the importance of community initiatives in raising health awareness, expanding early detection, and providing essential support for patients and survivors, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

He noted that Al-Ahsa is distinguished by its unique community initiatives, which reflect the awareness of its people and institutions regarding shared responsibility. He emphasized that collaboration among government, private, and non-profit entities is fundamental to maximizing the impact of community work and improving the quality of services provided to beneficiaries.

The event featured remarks from Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Afaleq, Chairman of the Board of Tafaol, who expressed gratitude to the governor for his support, stating that it strengthens the association’s mission and expands its programs and initiatives. The ceremony also included a heartfelt testimony from Hasna Mohammed Jumaa, the mother of a beneficiary, who shared her daughter's experience with cancer, underscoring the vital role of family and community support during treatment and recovery.

Dr. Fouad bin Abdulrahman Al-Jughiman, Executive Director of Tafaol, presented an overview of the initiative, outlining its objectives, pathways, and specialized projects. He noted that 'Azwa' stands out for bringing together all three sectors in a unified framework to combat cancer, offering comprehensive services including prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation, psychological and social support, and empowerment.

The initiative is based on field needs identified by the association, which serves 1,830 beneficiaries through 11 specialized projects and three main tracks: prevention, survivor empowerment, and sustainability. Its governance structure includes a supreme committee, an executive committee, and a secretariat to coordinate, monitor implementation, and measure impact.

The initiative builds on Tafaol’s track record, which includes transporting over 3,400 patients to King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam and Hamad Al-Jabr Oncology Center, conducting 1,654 physiotherapy and lymphatic drainage sessions, providing more than 900 medical devices, treating over 512 non-Saudi patients at a cost exceeding 18 million riyals (SAR), empowering 92 survivors in the job market, and performing 11 reconstructive surgeries.

At the conclusion of the event, the governor witnessed the signing of two community partnership agreements between Tafaol and both the Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and the Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation. The agreements aim to broaden the association’s partner base and strengthen the contribution of the private and non-profit sectors to achieving the initiative’s goals and ensuring its sustainability.

The 'Azwa' initiative seeks to build a sustainable community system to fight cancer, promote awareness, prevention, and early detection, empower patients and survivors, and expand effective partnerships, contributing to lasting health and humanitarian impact and reinforcing Al-Ahsa’s role as a leading model of community integration.