The toughest thing about interviewing Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud is getting her to talk about herself as at present she is focused on the upcoming Oct. 28 attempt to set the record for creating a human ribbon of thousands of women to raise awareness in Saudi Arabia about breast cancer.
“We are basically creating what we hope to be a momentous event in the Kingdom to gather women to break the Guinness World Book record for the largest human-awareness ribbon,” the princess told Arab News in an exclusive interview.
“What that means is that it will be in the shape of a ribbon made out of women. The record is about 3,700 plus. Our goal in fact is not just to gather 3,700 plus women but, I hope, 10,000 women.”
The daughter of the longtime ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Princess Reema’s mother is the daughter of the late King Faisal. Raised and educated in Washington, D.C., the princess earned a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University.
Upon her return to Saudi Arabia in 2002, she partnered in Yibreen, a well-received women’s day spa. She now is president and CEO of Alfa International and Al-Hama LLC, two leading luxury retail corporations based in Saudi Arabia. The groups manage brands including Donna Karan and DKNY in the Middle East and operate the Harvey Nichols department store in Riyadh.
She is also a member of the board of advisers of the nonprofit Institute of Civil Leadership, an organization founded to inspire and to educate students to be global leaders, and a founding member of the Zahra Breast Cancer Association, which has provided her recent focus.
“This is the first time that I am organizing an event of this size,” she said. “We have been working with some amazing corporate sponsors. This will also benefit the Zahra Association to generate awareness about breast cancer.
The event is being held under the patronage of Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Foundation. They have been extremely supportive of our activity. Our main focus is to generate awareness about breast cancer.”
She said she hopes the event will help women to better protect themselves against breast cancer, which has been a difficult subject for many women to talk about. “I would just like to have the word breast cancer mentioned so that women can check themselves, think about it and talk about it in any way they can so that we can generate that conversation,” the princess said.
“Perhaps it will reach one woman who has never heard of breast cancer and has never checked herself up. If that happens then we can take immense comfort.”
She praised governmental and health-sector efforts to promote awareness about breast cancer but acknowledged that the Kingdom’s vast area and diversity created special challenges.
“The efforts of the Health Ministry in conjunction with private clinics and charities such as Zahra Breast Cancer Association have made great strides in generating awareness on breast cancer. Where we are today obviously is not where we should be, which means we have a very long road ahead of us,” said Princess Reema. “Our point of view is that no woman should die of breast cancer.
The way to stop the spread of breast cancer is through early detection because if a woman detects it in Stage 1 or Stage 2 it is curable. Unfortunately, the farther out you go from the larger cities the less aware the ladies are.
That is what makes the work of foundations like Zahra very important because we are women going out and talking to women. This is always the most acceptable way to get the message out just because of the sensitivity of this particular subject.”
Princess Reema said the private sector and the government have been very supportive of the foundation’s breast cancer awareness initiative. “The public and nonpublic response and support for our cause has been immense.
Mobily has been extremely supportive of us along with Avon, MBC, Almarai, Riyad Bank, Burger King, The Jeddah Hilton, Napco, Donna Karan and DKNY — there is a long list,” she said. “I cannot thank the companies that have supported us enough.
Without their support it would not have been possible for us to come this far nor would we be able to do the activity we are doing. The Health Ministry also has been extremely supportive, and the Ministry of Social Affairs has extended us all help.”
She also noted the enthusiasm of young Saudis in moving the initiative forward. “If you take a look at our Facebook page — honestly, that is the way all of the young people seem to communicate — the response is overwhelming,” said Princess Reema. “We have had encouraging words not only from the young people within the Kingdom but also from people outside of the Kingdom.
The numbers of those who have visited our site and responded to the call are honestly astounding. The goal is to create awareness and to let people know that breast cancer doesn’t know a country; it doesn’t know a race; it doesn’t know a religion.
It is a disease that affects people across the world. If we are able to make an impact on people at the other end of the globe in making them aware of breast cancer, honestly, that is a phenomenal experience.”
There is a broader message that people can take away from the campaign, and Princess Reema hopes to send a message to many women and young people across the country.
“Be aware of your health, and be aware of the health of those around you,” she said. “Spread the word about breast cancer — talk about it. Think about it because it is something that is easily curable if found out in the early stage. We would be very happy to receive every woman to come and stand with us on Oct. 28.
We look forward to seeing everybody in Jeddah. My whole family will be there, from my mother to my daughter, to my sister, my friends and I hope many, many of my countrywomen.”
The location of the event was somewhat sensitive, as many Saudi women would be uncomfortable were probing eyes allowed to gaze upon them. Princess Reema said at the Ministry of Education Sports Compound in Jeddah’s Al-Rawdah district near the H Bridge satisfied those requirements.
“You know, here in the Kingdom privacy is extremely important for the ladies, so we wanted to host it in a location that would enclose a large number of ladies and one that was not surrounded by high buildings,” she said.
When asked where she got the motivation to get so involved in nonprofit, community-service work, Princess Reema said it was a family tradition — from both sides of the family. “This inspiration to be proactive in the community is one that I learned from both my parents and my grandparents on both sides.
It is a part of the ethics with which we were raised as Muslims, as Saudis and as Arabs. It is in our nature. It is nothing unique or particular to my family. It is in our nature. It is through such acts that we can be good Muslims.”
Arab News