JEDDAH: The Fourth Convention on New Developments in Tumors got under way at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) here last night with Dr. Yassir Bahadur, a consultant oncologist at the hospital, emphasizing the event would focus on the emotional factors patients face while battling cancer.
The convention was inaugurated by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed who presented commemoration plaques to those who had given their all to raise awareness of tumors. He citied the efforts and courage of Khalid Abdul Rahman who lost his young nephew to leukemia and hoped that this spirit would prevail in others who care for cancer patients.
He also commemorated Mohammad Shafiq, a well-known Arabic music composer, for his song “Ya Shafie, Ya Muhafee” which bids to raise awareness and one’s spirit to battle the disease.
Bahadur said that there was a need for those afflicted by the disease to live their lives normally, and that is what the convention is going to address.
He cited the exhibition, which is being held concurrently, of paintings by children suffering from leukemia as an example of the indomitable spirit exuded by these children. “We have to do our bit to ease their and their families worries,” he added.
A number of papers on recent developments in the treatment of cancerous tumors are to be discussed in the convention.
“The conference is aimed at giving hope to cancer patients that they could easily and completely be cured. It is also sending a message to the community at large to assist patients,” said Dr. Ezzeldin M. Ibrahim, chairman of the symposium and head of the hospital’s oncology department.
He said the working papers that would be presented discuss tumors of the digestive system and how they are diagnosed and treated, methods of preventing the spread of the disease, leukemia, lymphatic cancer and radiation treatment.
“Many new medicines have proved to be effective in curing the disease and in giving hope to patients. Because of these new medicines, the return of some types of cancer have been reduced by more than 60 percent while the possibility of death has dwindled by more than 30 percent,” he added.
According to medical statistics, the most common type of cancers in the Kingdom are breast, intestinal, lymphatic, leukemia, skin and brain cancers.
