Yasmina
Yasmina Cancer Awareness Campaign
A cancer awareness campaign created for social media. The original Yasmina video reached 1.5 million views within a few days.
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Sense of Tumor / Press & media archive
Well, this got
out of hand.
Interviews, television, radio, newspapers, questionable jokes on respectable networks, and other evidence that Sense of Tumor left the house.
2016
From the archive2017
From the archivearchive
The Night Sense of Tumor Began
The launch of Raquel’s first book. This is where it all started.
KMC Hospital · Space Sponsor
The first Sense of Tumor, published by Kédémos Publishers in 2017. The launch welcomed 300 attendees, with 407 copies sold. LBCI filmed the launch.
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LBCI
Hawa El Horriye with Joe Maalouf
Raquel appeared with Alaa Dalloul, a seven-year-old girl who was living with cancer and had undergone an amputation. Alaa had hoped to attend Raquel’s book launch but was unable to because of her health, so Raquel surprised her on air with a copy of the book. Alaa’s happiness made the moment unforgettable. She passed away a few years later, and this memory is preserved here with love.
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2018
A particularly loud year.Radio Liban
Radio Liban with Sana Nasr
Portfolio Record
NRJ Radio
Aghani Aghani with Mohamed Kaiss
Portfolio Record
L’Orient-Le Jour
Raquel Bahnam et l’invincible pouvoir de son sourire
An early independent profile of Raquel Bahnam. The historical portfolio preserves a January 9 print clipping alongside the January 6 online reference.
Radio Liban
Radio Liban with John Saad
Portfolio Record
Future TV
Aalam Al Sabah · Morning show
Portfolio Record
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campaign
Cervical Cancer Awareness Campaign
Lebanon
An early-detection campaign launched by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and A Sat7 Beirut / ع سطوح بيروت, in cooperation with the National Commission for Lebanese Women, Al Mashrek Hospital, UNFPA and the Lebanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The television advertisement ran across local TV channels throughout the month.
campaign
Barbara Nassar Association · TV ad
A television advertisement that aired throughout March 2018 across local television channels.
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speaking
Empowering Youth Lebanon · Hilton Hotel
Selected as one of 10 influential speakers for Jihad Hokayem’s Empowering Youth project, Raquel shared her story at the Hilton in the presence of then-Minister of Tourism Avedis Guidanian.
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speaking
Mount Lebanon Scouts
Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture (MJC), Zouk Mikael
Portfolio Record
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Jaras Scoop FM
Live radio interview
Raquel went live on air to share her story and speak about the Sense of Tumor books.
event
Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital
Portfolio Record
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speaking
Scouts Guides · Virtual testimony
Collège Saint-Joseph, Antoura
Raquel shared her testimony remotely while her brother and sister attended in person. The group had copies of Sense of Tumor—a shared reading experience despite the distance.
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event
Salon du livre francophone de Beyrouth
BIEL, Beirut
The 25th Salon du livre francophone de Beyrouth welcomed nearly 80,000 visitors to its new BIEL venue. Recognized as one of the world’s largest francophone book fairs, the event brought readers, authors and exhibitors together for ten days. ALBA—Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts, Raquel’s university—displayed and sold her books at the fair.
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LBCI
Live on Hawa El Horriye with Joe Maalouf
Raquel joined Joe Maalouf live from her isolation room at home, where the LBCI team conducted the interview.
The National
The National News Agency Coverage
India Stoughton’s feature explores the origins of Sense of Tumor and the humour in Raquel Bahnam’s account of treatment and remission.
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2019
From the archiveAlfa Al Yawm
Alfa Al Yawm · Live television interview
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event
Cancer Awareness Village
Forum de Beyrouth
Raquel hosted a booth where she sold and signed her books, and shared her testimony in a speech titled “Cancer Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.”
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event
Cirque du Soleil · Beirut
After the show, the Cirque du Soleil team surprised Raquel by returning to the stage with a poster they had signed for her. The encounter continued the following evening over sushi with members of the team.
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Orenda
Orenda · Sense of Tumor stockist and signing
Mar Mikhael, Beirut
Orenda, a vegan restaurant in Mar Mikhael, placed a bulk order of Sense of Tumor and began carrying the book around July 2019. A book signing and Christmas sale followed in December 2019. Current availability is not confirmed.
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speaking
Inspire Fitness Academy · Educational Day
Raquel shared her testimony with the academy’s trainers and signed copies of Sense of Tumor.
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Educational
Antonine Fathers School - Mina
8 books for 8 outstanding students: Antonine Fathers’ School in Mina purchased eight copies of Sense of Tumor to offer to its top eight students of the year.
event
Bookyard Byblos
Portfolio Record
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event
Presidential Palace visit
Raquel was invited to the Presidential Palace by Michelle Fenianos, then head director of the First Lady’s office.
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speaking
Inspire Summit 2019 · Raise the Bar
American University of Beirut (AUB)
“Raise the Bar” was a grand, three-day international fitness education and wellness summit hosted by the American University of Beirut (AUB) in collaboration with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Raquel gave a speech focused on how coaches and trainers can help current patients and better understand their capacities and limitations.
Virgin Radio Lebanon
Sense of Tumor’s viral alarm-label story
Virgin Radio Lebanon devoted an on-air conversation to an interactive Sense of Tumor Instagram story that invited followers to share the labels on phone alarms they had kept reusing for years—such as an old “waxing” reminder that was still going off long afterward. The hosts talked through the responses and laughed about the oddly persistent labels as the playful story went viral.
speaking
Motivational Talk Workshop
American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC)
On the occasion of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Raquel participated in a Motivational Talk Workshop presented by the Cancer Prevention and Control Program (CPCP) at the Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute in collaboration with AMALOUNA at AUBMC.
Portfolio Record
campaign
Breast Cancer Awareness at Wooden Bakery
Portfolio Record
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event
Reception of HRM Queen Silvia of Sweden at the NCLW
Raquel participated in “A Prominent Lebanese Women Dialogue” at the National Commission for Lebanese Women during the reception of HRM Queen Silvia of Sweden. She shared her story and presented Queen Silvia with copies of Sense of Tumor and Sense of Tumor 2.
Portfolio Record
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L’Orient-Le Jour
Raquel Bahnam, la jeune fille qui tourne la maladie en rires
A later French-language profile by Tamara Abikhalil, preserved here alongside the newspaper clipping already in the Sense of Tumor gallery.
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Reconnect Middle East
Raquel Bahnam on blood cancer and her books
Raquel Bahnam speaks about her experience with blood cancer and her books Sense of Tumor and Sense of Tumor 2.
Portfolio Record
MBC1
Kalam Nawaem · Interview and pre-recorded feature
A pre-recorded profile filmed across several locations aired before Raquel’s live interview.
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2020
From the archiveNidaa Al Watan
Sense of Tumor 2 launch coverage
Arabic-language coverage of the Sense of Tumor 2 launch at Cancer Awareness Village.
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speaking
Testimony at Sagesse Achrafieh Campus
Raquel shared her testimony before a celebration for high-school graduates, with a performance by Anthony Touma.
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speaking
Psychiatry Staff Meeting · Hôtel-Dieu de France
Portfolio Record
speaking
Lebanese Red Cross · Testimony and dinner
Raquel joined a Lebanese Red Cross team for a personal testimony, conversation and an intimate dinner.
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event
Presidential Palace meeting
Raquel returned to the Presidential Palace for a conversation related to cancer advocacy and bone marrow transplantation.
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speaking
Valentine’s with the Lebanese Red Cross
A separate gathering with another Lebanese Red Cross team, bringing together testimony, conversation and an intimate Valentine’s dinner.
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event
Cancer Awareness Village / Sense of Tumor 2 book launch
Sense of Tumor 2 launched at Cancer Awareness Village, with HappyNess clown doctors entertaining the signing queue.
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2021–PRESENT
Still out in the world.2020. A change of chapter.Raquel moved from Beirut to Toronto in 2020.
Raquel became chair of the board of Aid Lebanon until 2023, serves as a board member of A2CL (Association Cancer Canada Liban), and continues to advocate actively.
Later archive · date to be confirmed
Radio-Canada OHdio
Raquel Bahnam · Radio-Canada OHdio interview
Raquel Bahnam interviewed on Radio-Canada’s Y’a pas deux matins pareils.
Helpdose
Helpdose · World Cancer Day awareness campaign
A World Cancer Day awareness campaign by Helpdose, a medical marketing agency.
campaign
World Cancer Day 2021 · I Am and I Will
World Cancer Day / UICC launched the “I Am and I Will” campaign in 2019. Raquel Bahnam, author of the Sense of Tumor books, was its final guest in 2021, closing the campaign on a positive note.
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campaign
Taming Cancer · Campaign launch
A YouTube conversation series featuring survivors, families remembering loved ones, and a conversation with Dr. Fadi Nasr about his own experience with cancer.
speaking
Patients and Survivors · Two truths and a lie
Raquel was one of four panelists in an interactive event inviting patients and survivors to share and engage with one another’s stories.
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speaking
Aid Lebanon x CHANCE · A Critical Link Between Cancer and Survivorship
Cancer Survivor Month webinar on early diagnosis and survivorship, featuring medical experts and Raquel’s survivor perspective.
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speaking
Webinar with CHANCE Association
Raquel shared her testimony and spoke about the virtual fundraising auction planned for the following month.
event
Aid Lebanon x CHANCE · Virtual Fundraising Auction
Week-long virtual auction supporting children with cancer through donated creations and signed Sense of Tumor books.
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event
Norton Rose Fulbright · Book club
Norton Rose Fulbright, a leading global law firm, purchased Sense of Tumor books in bulk for its book club in 2022.
campaign
World Cancer Day · Close the Care Gap
Live interview on cancer care in Lebanon and Toronto for the “Close the Care Gap” campaign.
speaking
Trust Your Gut · Aid Lebanon + SAID NGO
Colon cancer awareness and prevention webinar accompanied by free screening opportunities.
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event
A2CL Montréal · Conference and book signing
CEIM, Montréal
Dr. Mustapha Tehfé spoke on cancer care, and Raquel shared her story and signed books in support of cancer patients. The event was attended by Monsef Derraji, Member of the National Assembly of Québec, and Antoine Tayar, a Montréal municipal councillor and former mayor.
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event
A2CL Montréal · Book signing
Montréal
A2CL book signing in Montréal, presented in collaboration with Les Dames des Cèdres.
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event
A2CL x Innovent · 3a Ka3ba Improv Comedy Show Fundraiser
Toronto, Canada
A2CL fundraising collaboration around Innovent’s “3a Ka3ba” improv comedy show in Toronto.
event
Allogeneic BMT Survivorship
Toronto, Canada
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s third annual Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Survivorship event brought together the transplant community in Toronto. Raquel spoke as a survivor about what real life after a bone marrow transplant actually looks like beyond simply surviving it.