WOMEN WEARING PINK CELEBRATED LIFE THIS OCTOBER, TOO
Three years ago, on October 14, 2021, women suffering from and treated for breast cancer gathered for the first time in Maglaj with the desire to establish an association, to have something of their own and a place where, above all, they could support each other, socialize and work.
The Association of Women Suffering from Breast Cancer and Other Malignant Diseases “Snaga Žene” organized the “Walk for Life” for the third time in a row this Pink October, the month dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. The members of the association regularly gather in their own premises, the women socialize and support each other, and this October they are also implementing two very important projects.
Guests welcomed with applause and hugs
A sunny October Sunday welcomed the guests of the Maglaj association. The invitation to socialize was happily accepted by the members of the associations “Zmajice” Gradačac, “Moja istina” Gračanica, “Biram život” Žepče and “Život” Zenica. In the city center, on the plateau in front of the Cultural Center, they were greeted with applause and hugs. The “Walk for Health” was supported by numerous Maglaj women as well as members of the “Fontana-Stari grad” Association. They all wore something pink as a sign of support, and the response was the most massive so far. After the gathering, all the participants of the “Walk for Life” headed through the city streets to the new city park, where the socializing continued over coffee and tea. This year’s walk, as the association emphasized, is important because it celebrates the lives of all women who have overcome or are still struggling with this disease, but also to encourage women to get checked out – on their own or to see a doctor, because if detected in time, breast cancer is 100% curable. A big thank you goes out to everyone who has supported the work of the “Snaga Žene” Association in any way over the past three years.
The women in pink deserve a lot of support
“I am in our association primarily to support my best friend who is suffering from cancer. She couldn’t come to Maglaj today, so that’s why I’m here. This sight takes your breath away, when you see all these women and their strength. I am ashamed to say that something hurts me next to such brave and strong women”, Lejla Tutnjić, a member of the association “Biram život” Žepče, told us. “We know what each of us has been through, we understand each other just by looking at each other. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, I am fighting, I am moving forward because I have to, I can and I want to. Our association means a lot to us – we are here for help, support and everything we need”, said Namka Huseinspahić, a member of the association “Život” Zenica. “When I see all these women, I see that I’m not alone, I know what we’ve all been through and are going through. The greatest support in my struggle was my children, relatives and neighborhood. Later, I came to ‘Zmajice’ and I feel better, we have a good time in the association – we drink coffee, talk, do needlework, exchange opinions”, revealed Mersija Hadžibešanović, from the association “Zmajice” Gradačac. “How I feel today cannot be described in words. This is something special for me. In addition to my family, the biggest support in my struggle were the members of the association. I could not imagine my life without them, they are like sisters to me. When we look at each other, we know what we want to say to each other. It is great to be a member of this association”, added Hasija Kahvedžić, from the association “Moja istina” Gračanica.
“I believe that in every possible way we should support these women who are great fighters because through the work I do, I am aware of what they all go through. Scenes like this are very emotional, it’s nice to see that women in pink celebrate the lives of our fellow citizens who support them,” Nadina Habibović told us.
“I would like for there to be no women in pink, for all women to be healthy, for us to be brought together by something beautiful, if the cause is not illness. Our presence is a sign that they are not alone, and the support should be even greater. Each of us can find ourselves in this situation and we should all help as much as we can”, added Jasmina Alić and Aida Olujić. “At these and similar gatherings, I always admire the strength of women, their togetherness, combativeness and harmony – only a woman can have that,” Admira Kovačević told us.
How it is for the affected women – only they know
Bahra Bradarić, president of the “Snaga Žene” Association, is always emotional in conversations. The sight of several hundred women in pink in the new city park first brought tears to her eyes. They were, he tells us, tears of joy. “When women come together like this, it speaks volumes about their strength, will, desire and persistence for life. The greatest strength is in every woman who leads the fight against this vicious disease, and how it is for us – only we, the sufferers, know that. Once when I was asked what kind of fight it was, I said that it was the same as holding the biggest lion in the world and fighting with it. And everything hurts. I can point out that this year, thanks to the project, we will help our sick members to buy a special bra, prosthesis or medicine. I would tell women to take care of their health, but also to join us because together we are stronger and we can do a lot. Our association has the greatest love and strength”, said Bahra Bradarić and once again thanked dr. Emira Drnda-Čičeklić, specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, and Dr. Sci. Amela Abidović-Mačković, psychologist, for all the support so far. This was an opportunity to present the association representatives with appropriate gifts as a token of gratitude for their arrival and participation in the “Walk for health”.
Maglajke once again expressed itself with a rich gastronomic offer
After the program in the new city park, socializing with lunch continued in the restaurant “Edemus”. The Maglaj women and their guests were joined by Omer Egilmez, general director of the Natron-Hayat company, thanks to whom this Maglaj association has its own, beautifully decorated work premises. The presence of Mr. Egilemz is another sign of support for women suffering from cancer. There is no doubt that Maglajka stood out this time with an excellent welcome, and the guests were full of words of praise for all the specialties that awaited them on the tables. The meeting in Maglaj ended with a sincere wish that there would be no more newly diagnosed women, that the need for such and similar associations would cease and that all women would gather for a happier occasion.
Strength of spirit and faith in yourself
Mihneta Hukić has only been with the association for a month. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the beginning of the year. She has already undergone seven chemotherapy treatments and three treatments with a smart drug. “When I was diagnosed, my world collapsed. But, with the help of my husband, children and in-laws, I am moving forward. My Enisa, who has been in the association for a long time, also supports me. She persuaded me to join these brave women. We are all equal here,” Mihneta told us. The only thing she cannot accept are the large crowds and lines at the Oncology Department of the Zenica Clinical Hospital. The last time she was supposed to receive chemotherapy, she came at around 5 am to be among the 20 patients who can receive therapy during the day. “It is devastating that we have to stand for hours and wait for our turn. However, I am an optimist, of course there are also difficult days when I would just cry, but I am moving forward. With the help of my family, my friends and faith in myself, I am moving forward,” Mihneta added.
All affected women have the same goal – victory!
As we have already said, the Association of Women Suffering from Breast Cancer and Other Malignant Diseases “Snaga Žene” Maglaj has received support from the Government of the Zenica-Doboj Canton for the implementation of two valuable projects. In the three years that the Association “Snaga Žene” has existed, these are the first projects to be supported by higher levels of government. The women of Maglaj also joined the global campaign “Race for the Cure” in Sarajevo. Their departure was supported by the Office of the Prime Minister of the ZDK, and a contract worth 4,150 KM was recently signed with the Minister of Health of the ZDK, Dr. Aida Salčinović. The “Green Light” was also given to the Association “Život” Zenica and the Association of Women Suffering from and Treated with Breast Cancer and Other Tumors “Budućnost-ZA Zavidovići for their projects. “Like the women of Zenica, we also asked exclusively for help for women who have had one or both breasts removed as a result of cancer. From this state, women who have had one or both breasts removed as a result of cancer receive funds for only one prosthesis and one bra in 18 months. And what is one bra? Nothing! Thanks to this project, every woman suffering from breast cancer, a member of the association, will receive certain funds to purchase special bras or prostheses, while women suffering from other malignant diseases (tumors of the uterus, colon or thyroid gland) will receive the same amount to purchase certain supplements or creams”, explained President Bahra Bradarić. “This is the first project that supports the purchase of aids for sick women. We believe that it will be useful for our members to be able to purchase aids that are otherwise very expensive, and we believe that what is received from the Health Insurance Institute is insufficient. Women who, unfortunately, suffer from other types of malignant diseases will be able to buy what they need, medicines or certain supplements. We aimed to help all members of the “Snaga Žene” association through this project”, added Aida Hadžić, a member of the “Snaga Žene” association.
Written by: Nejra Bradarić
This story was made possible through the generous support of the American people through the Local Works program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The author and the Peacebuilding Network are solely responsible for the content of this story. The views expressed in this story do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
