Grenada has one of the highest rates of cancer in the region and as a result, the country will set aside an entire month dedicated to cancer awareness.
This was revealed recently by Dr Sonia Nixon, of the Ministry of Health, as she received EC$43,500 raised by CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Walk for the Cure 2019. The Grenada Cancer Society received $29,000 while the Pink Ribbon charity got EC$14,500.
Dr Nixon said there was a need for the country to go beyond World Cancer Day observed on 4 February to a full Cancer Awareness Month to give increased support to educational and early screening initiatives. The idea was also fully supported by other stakeholders attending the handover ceremony.
The ministry plans to use a recently donated mobile unit to reach out to the island’s deep rural communities, where agricultural workers may find it challenging to leave their daily work routines to visit medical facilities in the towns for screening. This initiative will allow the opportunity for screening and detection to come directly to them in their villages.
A challenge was also issued to the local media to continue to spread the message of the importance of being screened regardless of whether they have any symptoms of the disease.
Both institutions spoke of the impact the donations have made on the lives of cancer survivors and equally importantly in educating the nation as a whole.
CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Country Manager, Nigel Ollivierre said, “the end of the Walk itself can never be the end of our focus on the fight against cancer and the bank is fully committed to becoming further involved in the battle. This is bigger than any corporate entity it needs us all to collaborate on any and all levels open to us.”
CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Walk for the Cure raised approximately $515,000USD throughout the region in 2019.
CIBC FirstCaribbean
Drink the juice from a white coconut and it will prevent cancer. Please don’t eat American food. Everyone here has cancer or will get it at least 1 person out of every 4 people has cancer in America.