AMMAN – US First Lady Laura Bush toured today the King Hussein Cancer Center as part of her Middle East tour to promote the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. Mrs. Bush was received at the Center by Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the board of trustees of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation.
At the King Hussein Cancer Center, Mrs. Bush unveiled an architectural model of a breast cancer screening center to be located within the King Hussein Cancer Foundation in Um Uthaina. Initial work on the center is being made possible by a contribution of $255,000 from USAID and the Jordanian Ministry of Health. Renovation works at the King Hussein Cancer Foundation necessary to accommodate the facility will begin in January 2008 and are expected to be completed by February 2008.
The screening center will be the first of its kind in Jordan and will provide comprehensive breast health services in a comfortable and private environment. Its success will pave the road for replication across Jordan and the wider Middle East.
Through the Partnership--facilitated by the U.S. Department of State, the Middle East Partnership Initiative, Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs--the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan and Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the U.S. have signed a number of partnership agreements. The three institutions work collectively in the areas of breast cancer awareness, research, training and community outreach. During her meeting with Mrs. Bush, Princess Ghida stressed that “for the first time in Jordan, we will be learning from the very best in the areas of breast cancer awareness, and our partnership with these two pioneering institutions will have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of thousands of Jordanian women.”
Mrs. Bush also visited patients and their families at the Children’s Playroom, where she presented a set of children's books from the U.S.-funded "My Arabic Library initiative". The children gave Mrs. Bush a painting that they had drawn themselves