Cancer registry is foundation of new thrust against disease
I will introduce the following story with a disclaimer that the statistics cited may not be very accurate … which only serves to illustrate the point of the story: that even though cancer is a major killer of Belizeans we have very little information on the disease. That situation, however, as News Five’s Marion Ali reports, is about to change.
Marion Ali, Reporting
With cancer being responsible for more than twelve percent of all deaths in Belize, the introduction this afternoon of the “Invincible Alliance Against Cancer” through a Cancer Registry and the signing of a joint statement of intents represents new hope for cancer patients. The Ministry of Health, along with PAHO and the Belize Medical and Dental Association signed the statement. It is a commitment to offer more preventative measures and education on cancer while the Register will provide a more organised means of documenting the different types of cancer cases, their clinical characteristics and available treatment. Minister of Health Jose Coye says the tripartite agreement will have no less than the Ministry’s full support.
Jose Coye, Minister of Health
“Firstly we have the opportunity to prevent and that is part of this Ministry’s drive along with these other groups. Obviously we will not be able to prevent everything so what we cannot prevent we have to be able to treat if it is not curable, and if it is curable we seek to cure it. The prevention certainly is not only at the primary level, you have prevention at the secondary and tertiary levels and here is where the Ministry of Health can use its resources and in a more effective and efficient way.”
And while the new initiative will seek to offer more efficiency, President of the Belize Medical and Dental Association, Dr. Beatriz Thompson says that the local medical community will have to do its part.
Dr. Beatriz Thompson, Pres., Belize Medical and Dental Assn.
“I think doctors will be willing to get more involved in this and even if it implies more paper work for us. We see it as one form of contributing towards the battle against this disease. We know here in Belize we don’t have chemotherapy nor radiotherapy. Patients once diagnosed, they are their own, they’re practically on their own. They have to fend for themselves in terms of finding their way towards Merida, towards Guatemala, towards the U.S.A and making practically their own links.”
Marion Ali
“So you all feel that the fight against cancer is really in the awareness?”
Dr. Beatriz Thompson
“Yes, yes. It is supposed to be the first and foremost thing.”
“The lay people always ask us how much is your statistics, in terms of how may people do you have per year being diagnosed with cancer and we can never come back with a real definite answer so this one of the reasons why we’re supposed to get this Registry going.”
Today is a dream come true for Anthony Soberanis who lost his wife, Juliet, to cancer in 1998.
Anthony Soberanis, Lost Wife to Cancer
“I’m really happy about the Registry and I’m happy that it’s going through and I’m happy that the other organisations are joining with us to get it going.”
Marion Ali
“Now everybody knew your wife Juliet as somebody not only who suffered from cancer but she was also an activist and she was there in the fore fighting for things such as this.”
Anthony Soberanis
“Oh yes, she was there fighting for it from the beginning. When she found out that she had cancer she did not think about herself she thought about how she could help prevent other people from having cancer. This will definitely do that.”
The initiative is timely in that according to the Ministry of Health the incidence of cancer in Belize is increasing.
Marion Ali Reporting for News Five.
