“Purple is my colour” That’s how started our meeting with the official Miss Lebanon Emigrant Australia 2014 for NSW Miss Nicole Eljed who was chosen to be the ambassador of “Not Just Nail Polish” a campaign launched by the Cancer Institute for Cervical Screening awareness which will be promoted this month all around Australia to increase the participation of women aged 18-69 years in regular cervical screening.Nicole who since she was elected Queen at the beauty pageant is working hard to represents the richness and diversity of the Lebanese Australian cultures and she dedicates lots of her time helping charity organisations and promoting their services in many community events.
As a campaign Ambassador, Nicole stated that her role is to encourage every woman with friends and family to paint their nails purple and post and share their photos on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and the Anoujoum Facebook page.
“Painting our nails is part of so many women’s beauty regimes and purple is actually my favourite colour, so it’s quite exciting that I get to paint my nails in a colour that I love and help spread the message about women’s health.”
The purpose of this campaign is to increase the knowledge and understanding of the need for regular Pap tests amongst women in Arabic-speaking communities. It aims to increase awareness of the importance of regular cervical screening by removing the barriers and sensitivities associated with cervical screening which women may find difficult to openly discuss.
Why Purple? Because it’s The Cancer Institute NSW brand colour, and the colour associated with the NSW Cervical Screening program.
Why is Cervical Screening so important? Cervical Cancer is one of the most common around the world. It is a sensitive topic which many women find difficult to openly discuss. But the reality is that Pap tests can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with cervical cancer by up to 96%. In Australia, that means saving the lives of more than 1200 women each year. So let’s get active!
Finally, Throughout Anoujoum Magazine, Nicole Eljed intended to address all the women aged between 18 and 69 years old to tell them: “It might be a bit uncomfortable at first, but this simple test can save your life. We all have a responsibility to our family and ourselves to stay healthy. So what are you waiting for?”
Nicole Eljed can be found on FACEBOOK: Miss Lebanon Emigrant Aus/14 and INSTAGRAM: nicoleeljed if you wish to contact her. Am sure she will be happy to see your support and your photos in purple!
For more details on “Not just nail polish” campaign, you can visit the NSW Cervical Screening Program Website www.csp.nsw.gov.au there is information available in Arabic to.