Sharjah: Support for cancer patients surges during awareness months and charitable seasons in many countries, but Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) builds its work on a different belief that lasting impact depends on sustained year-round support for patients and their families.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Sharjah-based organisation emphasizes that combating cancer requires more than periodic fundraising drives. Its approach combines financial assistance, early-detection campaigns, community engagement, and psychological support within a coordinated framework that follows patients from prevention through recovery.
In 2025 alone, FOCP provided financial assistance to over 500 cancer patients, allocating more than AED10.4 million towards treatments and related needs. During Ramadan, FOCP's annual Zakat campaign becomes a focal point of its fundraising efforts. The initiative collects zakat and charitable donations that are allocated toward treatment costs and broader financial and social support, aimed at stabilising the lives of cancer patients and their families during and after therapy. But Ramadan is only one part of the organisation's calendar.
Through the Pink Caravan campaign, FOCP provides free breast cancer screenings across the country, promoting early detection through fixed and mobile clinics. Last year, Pink Caravan delivered a record 19,791 free breast cancer screenings across the UAE. In October alone, the initiative operated 11 fixed clinics, as well as mobile and mini clinics, in more than 80 locations nationwide. More than 12,000 people participated in related community events, while more than 2,970 individuals attended public awareness sessions during Pink October. The campaign also led to the detection of over 30 suspected cases requiring further medical evaluation.
A total of 53 entities registered teams to benefit from Pink Caravan services, delivered in collaboration with six medical partners and supported by 11 sponsors. FOCP further strengthened access by adding two sponsored mobile clinics to its fleet and introducing a digital queuing and appointment registration system to enhance efficiency and patient experience. In parallel, FOCP implemented psychological support programmes and recreational activities for patients and families, working with 50 public and private institutions. Over the course of the year, FOCP organised 36 moral support events in partnership with these establishments, reaching more than 2,000 patients and caregivers.
Aisha Al Mulla, Director of FOCP, said the organisation's programmes are designed around patient needs and medical guidance: 'Our initiatives are developed in consultation with specialised physicians and shaped by feedback from patients and their families. This ensures that programmes are realistic, responsive and aligned with both medical and social circumstances. Continuous evaluation allows us to refine and improve our approach.'
FOCP stresses that partnerships play a central role in sustaining its work. Collaborations range from direct financial contributions to in-kind support, awareness initiatives and co-hosted events. The organisation selects partners based on alignment with its mission and their ability to deliver measurable impact. To reinforce transparency, FOCP publishes the final results of its annual Zakat campaign, including total donations, the number of donors and the number of beneficiaries. As the campaign remains open until year-end, results are released in a dedicated annual report.
Through its Locks of Hope initiative, FOCP mobilised more than 2,000 hair donations in 2025, enabling wigs to be provided to over 20 cancer patients. The organisation says its doors remain open to new partnerships, citing the ongoing need to expand support for cancer patients and their families. Its leadership maintains that lasting impact depends not on seasonal momentum, but on sustained community engagement throughout the year.