BVI Cancer Society emphasises Childhood Cancer
The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children, survivorship issues, and importantly, to help raise funds for research and family support, the latter being the focus of the BVI Cancer Society.
According to online statistics in the United States, 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year; approximately 1/4 of them will not survive the disease.
To-date, the Virgin Islands has lost two of its children to cancer, Shaheem H. A. Richards who had Leukemia and TiaMarie Cameron whose condition was diagnosed as Neuroblastoma, a very aggressive type of cancer. Tia recently succumbed after putting up a strong fight.
Aviyah N. A. Ottley is the other known to the BVI Cancer Society who is very happy that today she is a survivor. “Those are the only three children that we know of because you know persons don’t come forward like that,” BVI Cancer Society President and cancer survivor Gloria A. Fahie.
‘Cancer is every one’s concern’
While noting that a diagnosis can turn the lives of an entire family upside down, Fahie said the Society has for quite some time been doing a number of things to bring cancer awareness to children of the territory especially via the education system and the religious organisations.
“We want to focus on kids from an early stage because it affects them too. Cancer on a whole is everybody’s concern and we are no exception. Cancer affects every facet of our community, everybody.”
While she has no doubt that the message of cancer is trickling throughout the community, she believes the disease is still something that is very ‘tabooed’. “Most of the times persons don’t come to us (BVI Cancer Society), we go to them and we just want the public to know that we are here to help those who are in need. All that is necessary to access our assistance is to collect that application form and fill it and we will help to the best of our abilities,” said Ms Fahie in her appeal.
Initiatives
The plan to stage a teen summit is in its infancy stages and, according to Ms Fahie, the Society is reaching out to the Department of Education and its Ministry to support this venture in a big way by making it possible for the in-school youth to attend and participate. No definite date has been set yet but will soon be made public.
In addition, “We want to partner with Education, we want to go to all the schools, we want to disseminate information, we want the kids to be part of the process, so via this and every other forms, because we will be in direct contact with them (Department of Education) too, we want education to be involved,” advocated Ms Fahie.
In the past year, the BVI Cancer Society had several events and initiatives staged to bring awareness to the dreaded disease of cancer, among which was the Paint The Town Pink, which saw massive participation of schools. There was also the ‘dollar’ drive where the Education Department granted permission. “Once again we are asking them to allow us to do it again because it makes the kids become attached to the process and at the same time become aware and educated about cancer.”
Fahie reflected that two private schools, Cedar International and St George’s had invited them to interact with them, “And it was such a success, the kids asked a lot of questions, they had us on our Ps and Qs because they asked very deep and intelligent questions,” Ms Fahie recalled.
In her call for further support and the de-stigmatising/tabooing of cancer, said she is 100% sure that every person residing in the territory has heard of someone they know who has been affected in some form or the other by cancer.
In the USA and other parts of the world other forms of cancers are also highlighted, including Gynecologic Cancer, Leukemia and Lymphoma, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Thyroid Cancer among others.
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8 Responses to “BVI Cancer Society emphasises Childhood Cancer”
Rest in easy baby girl, TiaMarie!