Zonta Club of Beirut held a press conference at the headquarters of the Press Club on the occasion of the announcement of the completion of surgeries for breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which were performed due to generous donations and those of our shareholders and sponsors at our Fundraiser Gala Dinner in April. The press conference began with the Lebanese national anthem and the speaker Mr. Mark Daou explained about the theme of the conference, considering the achievements of Zonta Club of Beirut as an opportunity to meet the challenges of life and develop society by helping women who underwent breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, spoke on behalf of the doctors who contributed with their work in the surgical operations. He said that the doctors’ contribution was not only to help the warrior’s fighting cancer or who have fought but because they also believe in Zonta Club of Beirut and because reconstruction after mastectomy is complementary to the treatment and not cosmetic only.
Mrs. Maha Al Ayoubi from Tripoli spoke on behalf of the women who underwent breast reconstruction and talked about her personal experience and suffering after the long journey of treatment and having to undergo mastectomy. The pain caused her not only physical but also psychological suffering. And what made it worse is being a public employee and being refused cover for breast reconstruction but Zonta’s campaign gave her psychological and positive comfort, which she sees as a right adhering to and called on associations that demand women’s rights to follow Zonta’s initiative and thanked the Club for its interest and care for all women who have walked the same path as hers.
Mrs. Huda Fathallah, Marketing Director at Arope Insurance, thanked Zonta Club of Beirut for inviting them and announced the launch of the new breast reconstruction coverage on their health insurance programs after Arope’s special partnership with Zonta Club of Beirut. The company seeks to modernize its insurance solutions and its deep conviction in the importance of the breast reconstruction process and its positive impact on the patient’s psychological state.
Last but not least, Mrs. Wafaa Daou , President of Zonta Club Of Beirut, spoke about the establishment of Zonta Club of Beirut in 2011, a branch of Zonta International Association and Lebanon is the only Arab country where Zonta works to empower and support women in all fields in order to achieve Gender Equality. Among other things Zonta Club of Beirut was concerned with breast reconstruction after mastectomy due to the increasing number of cancer injuries in Lebanon and the lack of coverage of the Ministry of Health, army and security forces as well as private health insurance agencies that do not cover such operations.Mrs. Daou said zonta contacted Dr. Mitchell Drown a cosmetic surgeon in Canada and founder of Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day (BRA Day) that falls on the 18th of October every year and is admitted nowadays in 20 countries over the world where on that date a conference is held for that cause. Dr. Brown speech at the conference was to thank Zonta Club of Beirut and to motivate us to continue with our journey and his full support. Ms. Daou announced the completion of nine surgeries that were performed due to generous donations. She thanked the hospitals that cooperated with Zonta, the sponsors, the participants and the attendees for their support and confirmed the continuation of the work.