Jamaicans and Corporate Entities Urged to Support Initiatives That Assist Cancer Patients

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, is calling on Jamaicans and corporate entities to support initiatives that assist persons battling cancer, noting that the cost of treatment can place a significant burden on patients and their families.

He made the appeal during the official launch of the 17th annual Kiwanis Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Run, Walk and Wheelchair event held on Thursday (August 20) at the Grand-A-View Restaurant in St. James.

The event, organised by the Kiwanis Club of Providence, Montego Bay, is scheduled for October 25 and is expected to attract approximately 7,000 participants.

Mayor Vernon said his own experiences, including through the Mayor’s Charity Fund, have given him an appreciation of the financial challenges faced by persons seeking cancer treatment.

“Cancer treatment is expensive. It’s a long process. I’ve dealt with it personally through my father and through the Mayor’s Charity Fund,” he said.

Against this background, the Mayor commended the Kiwanis Club of Providence for maintaining an initiative that mobilises community support for persons affected by breast cancer.

“We must support. We have to contribute for a greater cause, and it is within this context that I’m inviting you to really give the Kiwanis Club of Providence a round of applause,” he said.
Mayor Vernon noted that the St. James Municipal Corporation continues to support the initiative, including facilitating requests associated with staging and promoting the event.

“This is [an] investment in social wellness because health comes under social wellness in our city and the parish of St. James,” he said.

The Mayor also expressed confidence that the target of approximately 7,000 participants can be achieved, noting the strong support that road races continue to receive in the parish.

President and Project Chairman of the Kiwanis Club of Providence, Nadine Spence, said the initiative has grown significantly since its inception in 2010, when approximately $100,000 was raised, adding that more than $85 million has since been raised in support of the fight against breast cancer.

“Behind every dollar is a person. There is a woman wondering how she will afford another stage of treatment. There is a family trying to remain strong. There is a survivor who needs to know she is not alone,” Mrs. Spence said.

She noted that support generated through the initiative has extended to the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Oncology Department at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, the Western Jamaica Cancer Support Group, as well as individual cancer patients and survivors.

Mrs. Spence said the project has also earned international recognition, having been named a three-time Kiwanis International Signature Project Award winner.

Looking towards the October 25 staging, she urged corporate Jamaica, healthcare partners, the media and members of the public to support the initiative.

Meanwhile, President-designate of Kiwanis International, Hope Markes, underscored the importance of awareness, screening and early detection in the fight against breast cancer.

“Awareness matters because early detection matters. Conversations matter. Screening matters,” she said.

“Encouraging a friend, a spouse, a parent, a colleague, or even ourselves to make that appointment can make a difference,” Ms. Markes added.

Ms. Markes also commended the Kiwanis Club of Providence for its sustained service.

“May it remind us all that when we move together, we can help save lives, strengthen families, and build a more caring community,” she underscored.