11 honoured at BVI Cancer Society Gala Event
The anniversary was celebrated with a gala dinner and award ceremony at the Moorings Marina Dining Hall on Saturday, November 3, 2018. Honoured was Primary Founder Ms Dawn U. Leonard and Founding Members Ms Hyacinth E. Selkridge, Mrs Stephanie I. Faulkner-Williams, Ms Collette Corea, Ms Bernice Farrington, Mr Louis Potter, Ms Astrid C. Wenzke, Dr Frederick Coville, Ms Blanche Greaux, Dr Robert Wright and Ms Ursula Mikolayczyk.
Among many corporate entities and individuals present to witness and cheer on were Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7), Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), Leader of the Opposition Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), Honourable Julian Fraser, RA (R3) and Deputy Governor Mr David D. Archer.
Great strides made
In brief remarks, Hon Pickering who represented Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) said, “To see a gathering like this here this evening, when I know what Peebles Hospital was in 1986 when I first started… it was just Dr Smith (Premier Smith) and myself in that hospital doing any kind of surgery” he said. “To see what we now have it is a joy and a pleasure against the background of talking about Cancer to see the strides we have made,” Hon Pickering said.
He reminded, “Mr O’Neal, the former Premier, was one of the persons who were instrumental in ensuring that a stipend was given to the BVI Cancer Society and the BVI Diabetes Association and the Family Support Network to ensure that those organisations were given some support from government.”
Health Minister Honourable Skelton examined numbers and highlighted that in the Caribbean there are about 80K cancer cases annually, “They say that you have about 720K per 100 [cases]… the BVI population [is] 32K and for our local statics we had 51 diagnosed cases.”
“That doesn’t give us any comfort,” the Health Minister said, noting that in the healthcare field, “We are fighting many wars and I as Minister for Health have to continue to find resources to fight cancers and all the other healthcare problems in this country.
He said his ministry has been trying its best with the cancer society, “We know they need more resources, I have no doubt in my mind and I know my colleague Deputy Premier would not disagree with me.”
Cancer needs attention
He also confirmed that Honourable Delores Lettsome-Christopher died as a result of cancer and so did other persons who were very close to him, “So I am quite aware as Minister for Health in my personal life, that cancer is a disease that needs this country's full attention.”
Leader of the Opposition Hon Fahie applauded those who led the charge of the BVI Cancer Society from 1998 to 2018. He said that one of the issues we have as human beings is that we never get involved in anything unless the elephant is on our foot. Hon Fahie said most persons don’t get involved in any fight until it happens either to them or somebody around them.”
He, however noted that the territory has seen the cancer society taken the information and educate persons who are not directly affected who have now become concerned and also involved.
Deputy Governor Archer noted that turnout is a reflection of the work that the board is doing, “While we honour persons who would have survived and we look at persons who have been tested, maybe we can have another benchmark so that every person that is within the Virgin Islands have the hashtag, I have been tested,” he said.
Survivor made a queen
In a surprise move, members of the BVI Cancer Society honoured and crowned President Gloria A. Fahie, Miss BVI Cancer Society. Ms Fahie is a cancer survivor and she was made to do the queen’s wave, take the victory walk and commit to being among the queens for the 2019 VI Festival.
“The cancer registry is very important to me and I am happy that Honourable Ronnie Skelton is taking this seriously because we need to know where the clusters are, we need to know what the prevalent cancers are… and the more we know, we would be able to research,” Ms Fahie said.
Ms Fahie announced that they society has now secured a new space and will be soon out of the building they now share with the BVI Diabetes Association on Main Street. She said that with this move comes the need for at least one full-time staff, “Minister Skelton, I would be coming shortly to you, we need some more monies, and we need to have a staff at the BVI Cancer Society’s office… It is that time… We need our own personnel we have reached that time,” she said.
According to Ms Fahie, everyday persons flock at her Social Security Board job, “It’s becoming a problem,” she told the Minister as the job can become overwhelming at times. Ms Fahie also put out the call for a good psychologist to volunteer with the organisation.
4 Responses to “11 honoured at BVI Cancer Society Gala Event ”
success until they embrace herbs and food an part of the prevention and healing process. Doctors have only been offering people surgery, chemo and radiation as options. There is big money in these options but not in food and herbs but they are powerful tools that can save people from much pain and torture. People should be given the truth and choices and supported. Just saying............
There’s studies that said Cancers develop mainly and by a high percentage out of emotional issues and then they lodge in the weakest organ of the individual
Food to thought ...