President of the BVI Cancer Society Mrs Gloria A. Fahie (3rd from left) with the Newton family. Owner of Newton Construction Company Ltd, Mr Hesketh E. Newton is 2nd from right. Photo: Provided

The BVI Cancer Society hopes to form a cancer support group this year. Photo: VINO/File

The donation is as a result of the BVI Cancer Society’s assistance to the wife of the company’s owner Mr Hesketh E. Newton. Mr Newton’s wife, Mrs Audrey Newton, a cancer victim, passed in 2016.

“It is very commendable that Mr Newton’s organisation gave back to the BVI Cancer Society. As a matter of fact, as far as I can recall, this is the first time a recipient who we have donated to, a member of the family gave back to us, so I would say that is very commendable,” Mrs Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online following the presentation on Wednesday January 25, 2017.

“So we really, really appreciate his generosity. I have always said even if the contribution is a dollar or more, we really are grateful and it goes to the furtherance of helping a lot of persons who are plagued with cancer.”

Donation will go a long way

Mr Hesketh E. Newton, the husband of the late Mrs Audrey Frank Newton who passed on September 28, 2016, said instead of flowers and wreaths, which is the norm at funerals, the family requested monetary donations instead.

“She had a long illness, with cancer and she passed after much care and support. So on her passing due to the fact that cancer has been around and has claimed many persons, the family decided that during her funeral service, normally people donate a lot of flowers and wreaths and so forth, which cost money,” Mr Newton told this news site.

“And sometimes they just go to the grave site and get blown away so we decided that in lieu of the flowers we would ask for a donation, so they can channel that proceed to us and we will match it and make a donation to the cancer society. We thought that this donation will go a long way in helping the society with some of their goals and objectives.” 

More applications for help noted

The BVI Cancer Society is seeing more and more applications for help from cancer-stricken persons and last year alone the society assisted clients in the region of $17,000.

“… and I feel good about that,” Mrs Fahie remarked.

“I always encourage persons out there to access the BVI Cancer Society. It might not be the amount you are looking for but we are going to help in whatever way we can and one of the ways we are helping is just to give back to the community, give back to those persons in need and just be there for them as much as possible because we have to support one another.”

Mrs Fahie, herself a cancer survivor, said one of the aims of the BVI Cancer Society this year is to have a cancer support group. “We cannot seem to make that happen and I am appealing to the community to come join the BVI Cancer Society, make a difference, come help start a support group,” Fahie stated.

She said there are many people who are plagued with cancer and they are suffering and going through a lot, especially in the mental department. There are persons out there who can volunteer their services, we have to be our brothers and sisters keeper.”

Cancer vigil

Mrs Fahie also announced that World Cancer Day will be observed next week Saturday, February 4, 2017at 5.30 P.M. at the Noel Lloyd  Action Movement Park in Road Town with a cancer vigil.

She encouraged all to come out and listen to an 8-year-old speak about how she is dealing with ovarian cancer. Another person will speak about Colon Cancer and Breast Cancer. The new Director at the National Health Insurance, Dr Harlan O. Vanterpool, will be the guest speaker.

“It’s going to be great, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be emotional, but most of all its going to be positive,” Mrs Fahie vowed.