How much do you know about cancer?
The annual month of activities focusing on cancer awareness has traditionally been held in October in honor of the founder of the Belize Cancer Society, Juliet Orosco Soberanis. But this year cancer month is being observed in May in hopes of better weather. The events are a means of spreading information and promoting prevention and early detection of cancer. Recent research has identified the different types of cancer in Belize and there is an abundance of tests and services available in the private and public health facilities. Laura Tucker-Longsworth, the President of the Belize Cancer Society, told News Five about the type of information they want to publicize.
Laura Tucker-Longsworth, President, Belize Cancer Society
laura tucker-longsworth
“We start off our month of activities a little bit early tomorrow evening at the Radisson Fort George. We’re having a public lecture and the lecture will be delivered by Dr. Elsworth Grant, the Oncologist and founder of the Dangriga Cancer treatment center and because of what he’s seen there and because of his experience we thought he would be a great person to do the lecture for us. He chose to speak on cancer of the cervix. On Sunday we have our church service which will be hosted at St. John’s Cathedral. So we join the Anglican congregation on Sunday to ask God’s blessings on our proceedings for the rest of the month. Throughout the month it is customary that we do presentations, we talk about cancer on the radio and TV channels. We also do presentations in workplaces, public and private places and we also have our children participating in rags day and I’m hoping they will be focusing on posters and stuff within the schools to do some awareness at their level. In addition to all that activity, we have our annual cancer walk, May twenty-ninth and that’s usually a hype. We’re trying to hype it up this year and see if we can get some of those fitness buffs out there to help us and lead the walk and keep it active. But the walk is on May twenty-ninth, we leave from Ladyville as usual and please, the public, we’re asking you to buy our T-shirts because it’s one of the main fundraising events that we do at the Cancer Society.”
“The theme for this year is “Cancer can be prevented and controlled. Don’t be afraid. Get the facts”. Why we chose that theme is because there are a number of things that we can do to prevent cancer. There are a number of vaccines available and there are a number of things test that are available to us in Belize that can at least detect early if not help us to prevent actual cancers.”
Thursday’s public lecture starts at seven p.m. at the Radisson and attendance is free. To purchase T-shirts and caps for the cancer walk, you can visit the Belize Cancer Society on Mercy Lane or call 223-0922.
