BREAKING A TABOO

Billboard in Pristina, Kosovo

American and European nations are “breast-centric.” British newspapers feature scantily clad women, and nude beaches abound throughout France. Women’s breasts are worshiped by men and enlarged by women. Because of this familiarity, breast cancer and funding for research is a major topic with no embarrassment associated with it. But a cultural taboo exists among Muslim women in discussing cancer or “women’s problems.”

Last week, in the United States, we celebrated Pink Hijab Day to encourage Muslim women and men to participate in cancer awareness activities. Started two years ago by a small group of Muslim high school students living in Columbus, Missouri, the event is now becoming a global pink day as the word spreads.

 

But three years ago, before Pink Hajib Day was even a thought, a project was started in Pristina, Kosovo, which became the Balkans Breast Care Initiative (BBCI). Aware of the sensitivities of the women in this developing area, and wanting to find a way for them to reach across the divide of their differing ethnicities - Albanian Muslim and Serb Orthodox – to learn about a deadly disease they could fight together, the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at the U.S. Embassy created the BBCI in late December 2007, in partnership with prominent doctors, non-government officials and breast cancer survivors. 

The project was initially put on hold as Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, but the Declaration on Fevruary 17,2008, and the subsequent fragile stability, allowed renewed outreach to all municipalities and counties of Kosovo.

In March of 2008, the PAO set up meetings for U.S. breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Ernie Bodai with Kosovo’s Post Office and Ministry of Transportation and Communication to present the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, which Dr. Bodai had initiated in 1998, and which has raised $73M for U.S. cancer research since then.


In July of 2008, the BBCI web page debuted on the Embassy web site and plans got underway for celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, during which the Breast Cancer Research Stamp was issued. For a Spokesperson, the Embassy invited Fran Drescher, a cancer survivor, and the State Department’s Special Envoy for Women’s Health Issues, to visit Kosovo. Her show, “The Nanny,” is still airing on Kosovo TV. Her appearances on radio, TV and in person Kosovo-wide were a hit! Her billboard (seen above) was all over the country in three languages: Albanian, Serbian and English. Everyone quoted from it: Fran says: “Early Detection = Survival” which helped to lower the stigma of going for a mammogram.


Some of the events of that historic first Breast Cancer Awareness Month, including Kosovo’s First Annual Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness are highlighted below, taken directly from a 14-page timeline history of the BBCI written by the PAO who created the program. Please scroll through and read the surprise ending of this incredible story.  I have highlighted it in red.

FOR BALKANS BREAST CANCER INITIATIVE MONTH: OCTOBER 2008

• PAO got Kosovo on the schedule of Fran Drescher (“The Nanny”), American Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health Issues (October 7-9, 2008). She was the KICK-OFF of Kosovo’s Breast Cancer Awareness-Raising Campaign

o SIX Billboards (free) allocated by the Mayor for cancer awareness-raising in the build-up to Kosovo’s First Annual Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness on October 19, along the Pedestrian Zone.

--They feature Fran informing Kosovo citizens about her visit, the Walk, as well as the mantra: FRAN SAYS: EARLY DETECTION = SURVIVAL. BBCI,Jeta/Vita and U.S. Embassy logos featured

o Free “City Lights” Poster spots along the Pedestrian Zone – for advertising the Walk and the BBCI

o Ms. Drescher presents her own experience with cancer and discusses her experiences with the Women’s Caucus at the Assembly

o She travels to north Mitrovica to talk to Kosovo Serb media TV Most and meets with young Serb and Roma women to discuss early detection at the American Corner.

o PAS translates her DVD “Coffee Talk”–style Roundtable on early detection into Albanian and Serbian. It was aired on all three TV channels, as well as on TV Most and TV Herc (which created a b.c. campaign for north Kosovo). Jeta/Vita will use it in all their Workshops

o Fran tapes a spot as herself for Kosovo’s most popular family sitcom, RTK’s “Familje Moderne,” and talks about the BBCI, the Stamp and the Walk. The show was aired on Sunday, October 19 at 20:15 AFTER the Walk. RTK teaser the week beforehand.

o TEUTA Magazine (most widely-read women’s magazine in Kosovo) featured Fran on their Editorial Page in October’s issue, and discussed her new role as a PD envoy. The Editorial also encouraged their readers to join the Walk. Inside they featured a six-page spread with drawings and photos on self-examination.

o Fran was interviewed by 22 different media, including several K-Serb media outlets during her 48 hours in Kosovo. In particular, KTV used her interview as the introduction to their three-part breast cancer documentary financed as a USG TV COOP project (Part I aired Oct 8 and Part II just before the Oct 19 Walk, and Part III just after the Walk).

o Fran Visited Camp Bondsteel to support the troops and talked to them about early detection for cancer in general

o Follow-up: TEUTA Magazine put Fran on the cover of their March 2009 issue, in conjunction with International Women’s Month, which also featured a two-page interview with Dr. Bodai on the success of the Stamp, and with the PAO about the BBCI (including photos of the Walk and logo). They also provided a 20-page insert on women’s health issues.

*KTV’s three part documentary on breast cancer aired on October 8 (Part 1), and was repeated on October 22. Part 2 aired on October 29. Part 3 aired on November 2 and showed the BBCI as a source of hope for the women of Kosovo. The Documentary’s interviews and meetings were coordinated by the PAO and financed with SEED TV COOP funds. Interviews for the documentary included Amb. Nancy Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the “Race for the Cure” in Washington, D.C.; Dr. Rifat Latifi in Arizona (creator of the Telemedicine Center in Pristina, and a Founding Member of the BBCI); Dr. Balazs Bodai in Sacramento, the creator of the U.S. Breast Cancer Research Stamp, who visited Kosovo in May 2008 and convinced Kosovo to become the 8th country in the world to issue this fundraising stamp. KTV Producer: Linda Fetiu.

• International Oncology Conference (October 15-18, 2008) in Pristina

o Dr. Bodai returned to Pristina as the Keynote Speaker

o Honored at the Unveiling of Kosovo’s Stamp on October 15

o Traveled to north Mitrovica for interviews with Kosovo Serb media: VOA Serbian and TV Most and presented a lecture on upcoming breast cancer therapies to 30 Kosovo Serb doctors (Media Center in Caglavica)

o Kosovo Albanian Media: Zeri, Koha Ditore, Kosova Sot

•October 15, 2008 - Kosovo issues the first Breast Cancer Research Stamp in the Balkans – 8th country in the world – Remarks by President Sejdiu, Deputy Prime Minister Manaj, Minister of Transportation and Communications Fatmir Limaj and Minister of Health Alush Gashi.

o PTK issues 28,000 stamps

o PTK donates 23,000 euros toward breast cancer research to use for repair of broken mammogram machines, training of technical personnel to use the machines and analyze results; maintenance; will create an official Registry of Cancer Statistics at the Institute of Public Health

• Kosovo’s most renowned thoracic and breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Elvis Ahmedi, sent on International Visitor Leadership Program to participate in Department of State Seminar on Breast Cancer (October 13-20, 2008) as well as to visit cancer research centers and hospitals around the country. ECA A/S Goli Ameri sponsored this Seminar.

• Starting October 10: All three major channels aired Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about breast self-examination, “Early Detection = Survival” and telling everyone to “Join the Walk” on October 19.

PAO appeared on RTK’s “Good Morning, Kosovo” on Sunday, October 19, and discussed the BBCI and the upcoming Walk.

Several people, who had traveled from Peja or other places far from Pristina, approached PAO during the Walk to say they had seen me on television that morning and thought the cause was so important that they wanted to come. I mentioned them.

• October 18, 2008: RTK aired a 30-minute Special on Fran Drescher, recapping her visit to Kosovo on Oct 7-9, her new role in cancer awareness, as well as their interview with her earlier in the month.

• October 19, 2008: PAO appeared on RTK’s “Good Morning, Kosovo” on Sunday, October 19, and discussed the BBCI and the upcoming Walk that afternoon.

Several people, who had traveled from Peja or other places far from Pristina, approached PAO during the Walk to say they had seen her on television that morning and thought the cause was so important that they wanted to come. I mentioned them in my remarks on the podium at the Walk.

• October 19, 2008: Kosovo held its First Annual Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness, which brought more than 1,200 participants to downtown Pristina’s Pedestrian Zone along Mother Teresa Street on a sunny Sunday.

o Opening Remarks: Ambassador Tina Kaidanow

o Walk participants also included the President’s wife, Mrs. Fatmir Sejdiu and the Speaker of the Assembly’s wife, Mrs. Jakup Krasniqi

o RTK provided their “Combo Band” and televised the entire event, airing it that night after their Primetime programming.

o Well-known television actresses performed their own play about breast cancer affecting a family, which garnered a great deal of praise from the Walk audience, as well as from the RTK audience that night.

o Musicians, Singers, “Familje Moderne” Actors

o Walk “souvenirs” handed out by volunteers:

Pink bracelets: BBCI=HOPE (donated by the Detweilers)

Kosovo Breast Cancer Stamp pins (donated by Dr. Bodai)

Pink Loops to wear as pins (provided by US Embassy)

BBCI T-shirts

Self examination brochures in Albanian and Serbian

The BBCI has been called the most important health outreach ever accomplished in Kosovo and other Balkan countries, because of its enormous impact. Not only has the fundraising stamp been issued in Kosovo, but also in Macedonia and, shortly, in Albania. Moreover, it has continued to thrive until this day, bringing in more than $2M in free diagnostic training and mammography machines from U.S. doctors and institutions. AND they just celebrated their Third Annual Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness.

And now for the rest of the story. Who was the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) in Kosovo who created the BBCI?  My very own sister.   I am so proud of her!

So while my work in Chicago might have a small impact in the local community, my sister has impacted millions of women globally and helped save countless lives. That is the “Posner” that everyone should be talking about.