His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, Governor of Al-Ahsa, today launched the Al-Ahsa Against Cancer initiative, known as Azwa, at the governorate's headquarters. The initiative is organised by the Al-Ahsa Cancer Charity Association, Tafa'ul, and the launch was attended by officials and heads of relevant bodies.

Azwa aims to bring the government, private and non-profit sectors into one integrated system for cancer prevention and control, and to improve the quality of life of patients and survivors. The governor said the leadership's support for the health and non-profit sectors reflects its commitment to quality of life and preventive services, and stressed the role of community initiatives in raising health awareness and widening early detection, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The initiative is built on needs identified in the field by the charity, which serves 1,830 beneficiaries. It runs through 11 projects and three main tracks: prevention, empowering survivors and sustainability, overseen by a higher committee, an executive committee and a secretariat that tracks implementation and impact. Its services cover prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and psychological and social support, according to a presentation by the charity's executive director, Dr. Fouad Al-Jughaiman.

The charity's record includes transporting more than 3,400 patients to King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam and the Hamad Al-Jabr Oncology Centre, delivering 1,654 physiotherapy and lymphatic drainage sessions, providing more than 900 medical devices, treating more than 512 resident patients at a cost exceeding SR18 million, helping 92 survivors into the job market and carrying out 11 reconstructive operations.

Board chairman Mohammed Al-Afaliq thanked the governor for his support, and the mother of beneficiary Hasna Mohammed Jumaa shared her daughter's experience with the illness. At the end of the ceremony, the governor oversaw the signing of two community partnership agreements between the charity and the Al-Ahsa Chamber and the Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation.