Ride for a Cause: Breast Cancer Awareness

DUBAI: UAE-based owners of Harley-Davidson motorbikes conducted a breast cancer awareness programme through a country-wide Pink Ride that saw more than 130 members of the Harley Owners Group drive through the country’s highways crisscrossing the deserts and mountains for more than two hours

Started from the Harley-Davidson showroom in Dubai at 6:30am, all the 130 bikes roared in to the highways, supported by a team of marshals and volunteers that saw the team ride across the UAE’s desert and mountainous regions before checking into Hilton Palm Jumeirah for breakfast.

October is observed worldwide as the breast cancer awareness month to help people combat this killer disease. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal breast cells grow out of control and form tumours. If left unchecked, the tumours can spread throughout the body and become fatal.

In 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths globally. As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer. Breast cancer occurs in every country of the world in women at any age after puberty but with increasing rates in later life, WHO says.

Director of Harley Owners Group (HOG) Dubai Chapter Anand Rodrigues has been a part of his breast cancer awareness campaign for over 5 years. This event brings bikers, riding different bikes, representing various motorcycle clubs from varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds together for a common cause. For HOG Dubai, this ride stands in solidarity with individuals and families impacted by breast cancer as well as promoting the need for early screening.

Shuja H. Jashanmal, Group Chief Officer of Jashanmal National Company and one of the organisers of the Pink Ride, says, “For us October is the month of breast cancer awareness and the Pink Ride brings us together to stand against this problem. We organised the Pink Ride to create more awareness so that people are aware of it and can take precaution to beat it. Pink Ride is a ride for a cause.

“The Harley Owners Group’s Breast Cancer Awareness Ride is a testament to the power of a community. Coming together for a cause it’s not just about motorcycles and sounds it’s about making a difference in the lives of those impacted by breast cancer. Through the roar of their engines and the unity of their riders, HOG members send a powerful message of hope and support, reminding us of all that together, we can make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

“Riding with pride, this grand event witnesses the participation of nearly 150+ motorcycles from across the UAE, all coming together to raise awareness for breast cancer.”

The Harley Owners Group (HOG) is a global community of more than 1 million owners of Harley-Davidson motorbikes, launched in 1983 and operated by Harley-Davidson for enthusiasts of the brand’s motorcycles. The HOG is serving to promote not just a consumer product, but a lifestyle. Its membership in the UAE exceeds a thousand, who are grouped into different chapters and conduct social events for different causes.