The UAE-based non-profit organisation, Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP) have joined hands with Mum Mum – a child friendly catering company in Sharjah that serves nutritious and healthy food to children – in order to further their shared vision of combating obesity in UAE’s children, by reinforcing the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and in doing so prevent one of the risk factors of pediatric cancer.

Cancer research centers worldwide have published numerous studies about how obesity might be a trigger for cancer. In the UAE, where one in three children is either overweight or obese, promoting healthy lifestyles and helping children, parents, teachers and caregivers learn more about nutrition is vital for securing the population’s well-being.

To this effect, they have recently entered an agreement under which Mum Mum will be dedicating a percentage of their monthly revenue to FOCP’s ‘Ana’ childhood cancer initiative for a year; from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019.

Ana was launched in 2014 and has been working to raise community awareness about the seven signs of childhood cancer, and dedicating their efforts to enhancing the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families, through the provision of financial and moral support that may ease their burden.

During this year-long collaboration, FOCP will be utilising the funds from Mum Mum to assist children suffering from childhood cancers and their parents who find it difficult to cover the high cost of cancer treatment. FOCP will be playing a major role in endorsing Mum Mum’s health food concept on their website and at their events.

FOCP’s Director General, Dr. Sawsan Al Madhi, has called on the UAE community, especially parents, to extend their moral and financial support to this initiative by supporting such collaborations that emphasizes a healthy lifestyle.

She said: “FOCP is honored to be partnering with Mum Mum which acts as a beacon of social responsibility in the community and secures the UAE’s future by offering a fun and healthy menu to children endorsed by leading international nutritionists all for a noble cause like assisting children with cancer. we are proud to be supporting a positive message such as healthy living as we are play an active role in creating a better tomorrow for the future generations”  

Nada Al Lawati, CEO, Mum Mum Restaurant, said: “I am delighted that Mum Mum is supporting the Friends of Cancer Patients’ Ana initiative, which draws attention to the importance of early detection in childhood cancers, and the valuable role that family, friends and community play in supporting young cancer patients. This year we are dedicating a percentage of our sales proceeds to this wonderful initiative, because we believe that we have embarked on an everlasting association with a cause whose focus is the same as Mum Mum’s – children’s welfare.

“To the community I would like to say that by ordering a meal at Mum Mum’s, you will not only benefit your child but several others who, at a tender age, are fighting their way through cancer. We are counting on your support.”  

Ana, an Arabic word which means ‘I’ in English, is a childhood cancer initiative that falls under FOCP’s umbrella ‘Kashf’ programme which focuses on early detection of cancer. Ana seeks to raise awareness about the seven common warning signs of childhood cancer and highlight the importance of early detection, as childhood cancer is the fourth most common cause of death among children under 15 years old in industrialised nations, according to the latest statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Friends of Cancer Patients is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1999 under the directives and patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah-UAE, Founder and Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients, International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC and Patron of the First Global NCD Alliance Forum.