Cancer swim completed in Corozal
With all the holiday weekend news to report yesterday there was one story that had to wait a little longer to get on the screen. Its omission, however, in no way reflects any lack of importance. Patrick Jones reports on Sunday’s journey from the Maya site of Cerros to the town of Corozal.
The benefit swim across Corozal Bay, gave both participants and spectators a chance to learn more about cancer, its prevention and treatment opportunities available.
Manuel Lizarraga, Organizer, Benefit Swim
“The focus of this whole venture was to raise money for a cancer hospital to aid cancer victims.”
Beverly Swasey, Cancer Survivor
“Well I think it?s a very good effort, a step in the right direction. Even if we don’t get all the funds we need today it will create awareness. And that is what we need for the public to become aware that cancer has no boundaries.”
The swimmers, ranging from ages twelve to fifty eight, included both long distance enthusiasts and athletes who just wanted a good reason to get wet.
Jose Castellanos, Swimmer
“Well sometimes I have to think about other people and help them out and I would like in the future if they could help my children the same way.”
Carol Ulett, Swimmer
“It was a great cause and a lot of fun.”
Delbert Sanchez, Swimmer
“Well da really just wa lee charity thing and like how we like sea and thing we just the participate and thin, work up wah lee energy and so.”
Manuel Lizarraga
“I am a swimming enthusiast. I wanted to swim for a good cause and somebody gave me the idea and I must give thanks to Mrs. Juliet Soberanis, she gave the approval to swim for cancer.”
While the day’s event had no pre-arranged target, in terms of dollars and cents, organizers figured that the spirit of caring coupled with the Baron Bliss Holiday would materially advance the objectives of the Cancer Society. Their logic, however, was only partially accurate.
Hernan Riverol, President Rotary Club, Corozal
“Well the primary objective of the swim was to raise funds for the cancer society. I am a bit disappointed in that respect. We didn’t get as much support from the business community as we thought we would have received. We did get a lot of support from individuals and different offices in town. Their staff members contributed from a personal point of view.”
Laura Longsworth, President, Belize Cancer Society
“The provision is for a hospice center where the patient can come in and be comforted and so on especially if they do not have any place else to go. But it?s long term; it?s far away. It will take a lot of money.”
Beverly Swasey
“If you’re not a survivor, you might think oh it won’t have any effect on me. But whatever happens here today will affect everybody in the society.”
And that effort has now gone international. Belize has been invited to become a member of a Caribbean Cancer Society, an event which should take place in June in Jamaica.
Laura Longsworth
“Since it?s a CARICOM initiative we feel very pleased about that because when our Health Minister goes to the Health Ministers conferences, cancer will be right up there and policies will filter down into our national health care plans so we are very pleased about that.”
In the meantime, the Cancer Society will continue to work out of its office at the Belize City Commercial Centre, putting out the message to anyone who cares to listen, that prevention is always far better than the cure – which in the case of cancer is not yet fully available.
Patrick Jones
“If every journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, then three point five nautical miles swim across the Corozal Bay has put the Cancer Society’s long term goal of a hospice center a couple of steps more towards reality. Patrick Jones, for News Five.”
The Cancer Society is also working to set up a registry of cancer patients, in the hope of gathering a reliable set of statistics on how this disease is affecting Belize.
