Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. With the aim of raising the level of health awareness and disseminating basic medical and preventive knowledge concerning breast cancer among girls and women, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) team held within the Hear-My-Heart Program, in cooperation with the Syrian Breast Cancer Association and the UNHCR, several awareness sessions entitled Awareness of Breast Diseases and Cancer: Etiology, Symptoms, Early Detection and Treatment Protocols. The sessions were held on 08/22-29/09/2018 in the following districts: Jaramana (Butterfly Effect and Beit al-Wiam CCs), al-Hameh (al-Salam CC).
118 women attended, whose interaction was positive and significant. This was evident through the women’s active participation and questions that enriched the sessions. To encourage the women, the Breast Cancer Association later offered the opportunity to conduct mammography screenings, free of charge, in several centers throughout October for all demanding women.

There are many aspects to the celebration of Eid that vary with time, influenced by the evolution of human society. In days of old, Eid celebrations were certainly very different from what they have become now, but the common factor is the sheer joy felt with the advent of Eid.
Accordingly, on 25 August2018, in Rural Damascus, ‘Adra Industrial Zone, al-Farah CC, SSSD organized, in cooperation with the UNHCR, a session entitled Holidays, Past and Present.
The session, which was held within the Old-But-Gold Program, included 19 elderly women who recalled Eid in the past and compared between past and present holiday celebrations. The aim was to warm the hearts of the elderly who explicitly wished to talk about the ambiance of Eid. The women interacted very well and pleasure was obvious on their faces. We certainly learned a lot from the participants’ sharing of various lovely customs that were common during holidays in the past.

“Life has taught me to be as soft as leaves of a tree, as rough as its trunk, as solid as its roots, as fragrant as its scent, to be like a fertile soil that gives to the one who plants free of charge…”
In this context, on 18 August 2018, in Rural Damascus, Jaramana District, Beit al-Wiam CC, SSSD organized, in cooperation with the UNHCR, a session entitled the Tree of Life. The session, which was held within the Old-But-Gold Program, included 36 beneficiaries of seniors, during which the life process of several people was evoked. They shared what they learned from life experiences and the way they handed those experiences over to their children and grandchildren. In fact, Life is always the Great Teacher. The session was followed by a handicraft activity, during which the elderly made a tree they named the Tree of Life.
The interaction of the beneficiaries was great, which showed in the verbal expression of their many experiences that proved to be as many enriching life lessons. They were also happy with manual work and the fact of enthusiastically sharing with each other.