MFA women's football sector in breast cancer awarness campaign

women-football-breast-cancer-campaign2013The Action for Breast Cancer Foundation, in collaboration with the Malta Football Association’s Women’s Football sector, launched a programme of support and collaboration during a press conference and seminar which were held at the Westin Dragonara Resort on Saturday.

The women’s national team players, who were also present for the launch, will be taking an active part in this campaign named “Give Cancer the Boot” which will run throughout the coming weeks, especially during the month of October.

MFA Deputy General Secretary (Grassroots, Youth Development and Education) Maria Mifsud said that persons connected with sports believe they have a duty to help society as best as they can and as the person in charge of women’s football, she felt it was natural to contact the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation in order to assist them as best as they can to create awareness.

Mifsud said she believed physical activity helps to decrease chances of illnesses as living a healthy life helps in a healthier immune system. Sports is a way of life and gives the ingredients of better living in all aspects. The constant battle to improve oneself in sport and keeping a balance in all aspects of life help towards forming a strong character. She went on to say that football can be used to positively influence the public and support social development and being such a popular sport, the game can reach further than any other sport. Therefore it was the duty of the women’s football sector to harness this power and use it in the right direction.

All women’s football during the month of October will be focussing on Breast Cancer Awareness. She thanked clubs for immediately accepting the idea to help put such a good cause. She also thanked the national team, FIFA and UEFA who also approved this initiative. In fact, apart from all BOV Women’s First Division and Second Division leagues and Women Under-16 league, the World Cup qualifiers against Israel away from home on October 27 and against Denmark at home on November 27 will also feature in this campaign. The women’s national team players will be the Pinktober Ambassadors at the Hard Rock Pinktober walk which will be held on the 15th September.

National team vice-captain Natasha Pace thanked Maria Mifsud for changing one of the players’ ideas and one of her wishes in action. She said she really wished the women’s national team and all clubs worked hard together with Action for Breast Cancer Foundation in order to make more people aware about breast cancer and promote healthy living.

Esther Sant, one of the co-founders of the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation together with Helen Muscat, said the foundation was honoured to be working with the women’s national team players and explained that this collaboration had various facets and that ABCF wanted to spread a positive message that is being supported by these talented players who are held as role models. Women’s national team matches and league matches will be the perfect occasion to promote breast awareness and women footballers shall by the messengers of the October awareness month by visibly and actively carrying their mission statement for a quality assured service for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, which includes screening, as it offers the perspective of saving many lives by detecting cancer at earlier stages.

ABCF thanked the Malta Football Association, clubs and players for their support and FIFA and UEFA for approving and endorsing this initiative.

After the press conference the women’s national squad and club representatives attended a seminar conducted by breast care nurses Liz Vella and Shirley Fenech Imbroll.