WARR Commended for Effort at Fighting Breast Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie, has commended the efforts of the Washington-based organization, Women at Real Risk (WARR), for their outstanding contribution in the fight against breast cancer.

Ambassador Vasciannie, who was addressing WARR’s 13^th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Gala, at the Sheraton Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland, on October 12, said that  Women at Real Risk provides outstanding service to women in Jamaica, mainly in the health sector.

“Their service has touched the lives of scores of underserved Jamaican women through its medical mission. The outreach missions undertaken by the organization serve as a model for other Diaspora groups based in the United States of America and elsewhere,” he said.

The Ambassador argued that each life rescued by the medical missions of WARR is a triumph of humanitarianism, and a tribute to its Founder, Mrs. Totlyn Taylor-Newby and her colleagues who keep the organization going.

He noted that health care is a development issue, and pointed out that economic growth and progress cannot take place in a society bedeviled by diseases. Against this background, Ambassador Vasciannie said that the Government of Jamaica continues with its efforts to ensure that primary health care, in particular, is readily available to Jamaicans of all walks of life.

“But the needs are great, and the State’s capacity is limited, so all efforts to improve our health care facilities are much appreciated,” the Ambassador said.

In her remarks, President of WARR, Claudia Hudson, said the organization was founded in Washington, D.C., by a group of Jamaican cancer survivors in 1998. Their mission is to eliminate breast cancer, through education and advocacy.

Ms. Hudson explained that WARR has promoted awareness of the danger of breast cancer to women at risk through various programmes in Jamaica and the Washington D.C. area.

The mission of WARR is to ensure, through individual support, empowerment and information, that no one faces breast cancer alone or uninformed.