President of the Dominica Cancer Society (DCS), Yvonne Alexander, has revealed that early cancer detection for women and men saves lives. She urged attendees at the recently concluded October Breast Cancer Awareness Month event that she is alive today because she detected her cancer growth early enough and underwent effective treatment.
Instead of the usual “Walk for Cancer Care” which the DCS organizes every year to raise public awareness for cancer, the association chose to organize a “Drive for Cancer Care” event because of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country. With the vehicular event, participants drove from Roseau to Portsmouth with various cars marked with DCS cancer messages for the people.
Ms. Alexander stated that early intervention can only be effective with early diagnosis, adding that cancer screening centres abound on the island. She particularly noted that the DCS has reached an agreement with Medicus Diagnostics for discounted cancer screening for anyone that would take advantage of the opportunity.
“Please act on the information that we are disseminating,” Alexander said. “Early intervention and early detection saves lives. I am here today because of early detection and there are many others just like me. Ladies and gentlemen, we have had a few men in Dominica who have been diagnosed with breast cancer…so take the opportunity to get screened. Make your appointments and please get screened.”
Minister of Health, Dr. Irving McIntyre, spoke at the Breast Cancer Awareness Month programme and highlighted the policies the government has in place to save people from dying from cancer. He disclosed that there is a cancer screening centre in all health districts across the island, and people can do mammograms, Pap smear, prostate tests, and PSAs at these centres.
“We also have the HPV vaccine which we give to our students in grade 6 between the ages of 11 and 12,” Dr. McIntyre said. “As a matter of fact, PAHO was supposed to be here in May to give an award to the La Plaine health district because in the entire Americas, we have 100% coverage of the HPV vaccine which is meant to prevent cervical cancer later in life.”
The Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Dr. Addis king, also spoke at the annual event, and so did other major keynote speakers. RUBiS, the Commonwealth of Dominica Improvement Association (CODIA), and the DCS youth division made donations to cancer causes.
Rubis made a donation of $4,500 and CODIA donated $5,000 to the DCS, while the association’s youth arm donated groceries and school supplies to the family of Suzette Charles who died from cancer complications. The Insurance Company of the West Indies (ICWI) also made a donation and provided one-year comprehensive insurance cover to one raffle draw lucky winner.
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