King Hussein Cancer Center

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the impressive King Hussein Cancer Center. Director General Mahmoud Sarhan, who is also the chairman of JBCP's executive board, has built KHCC into a world-class comprehensive cancer care facility.

The name, "King Hussein Cancer Center," itself reflects big changes in Jordanian society. Many people have told me that, until recently, the subject of cancer was a huge taboo. The word itself was rarely spoken -- people called it "that disease" when they spoke of it at all. KHCC used to be called "The Hope Center" for this very reason.

Not long ago, most cancer patients sought treatment in secret, from friends and even family members. Cancer carried a huge social stigma. Many worried that if people knew a member of their family had cancer, no one would want to marry into the family. Again and again, I heard stories of husbands who had divorced their wives upon hearing that they had cancer.

There was little public awareness about the development and treatment of cancer, particularly breast cancer. Women were told by their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts that they could not get breast cancer if they breast-fed their children, or if there was no history of cancer in their families. I met an educated woman, with medical training, who said she had believed that she could not have breast cancer as long as she was in good general health and her breasts looked normal. Apparently, there was a common misconception that having a biopsy for a mass would cause it to metasticize -- that "disrupting it" or trying to treat it was the cause of harm. Many women refused to seek treatment or even a diagnosis, saying that if it was cancer, they didn't want to know about it, and whatever would be would be.

The death of the late King Hussein I from cancer in 1999 had a profound, but mixed impact upon the way the country viewed cancer. It made it easier for Jordanians to acknowledge and discuss cancer, but also seemed to confirm their worst fears. "The King has all the money and resources in the world, and even he dies from cancer -- what hope is there for the rest of us?"

The Jordan Breast Cancer Program, in coordination with their partners, has done a great deal to educate the public about breast cancer, to de-stigmatize the disease, and to motivate people to change their behavior to facilitate early detection and treatment. One of their most important partners is SANAD, a group of cancer survivors who travel throughout the country to counsel and support cancer patients. SANAD volunteers work closely with women, and if possible, their entire families, to educate and support them throughout the treatment process.