Sr. Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice in the pipeline in Dangriga

In 2007, Raquel Leslie Battle of Placencia Village lost her father, Edlin Leslie Sr., to prostate cancer. He had to travel to Mexico for treatment and his dying wish was for a hospice to be built in Belize. Since his passing, Battle has made that dream her own and has started home care services after founding the Blissful Sage Foundation in Dangriga. The organization is now taking steps towards the construction of the Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice. Battle, who has a PhD in Health Services from Walden University, was one of six students chosen from sixty Laureate International Universities to participate in the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative University meeting in Washington. The forum was from March thirtieth to April first and Battle left with a renewed commitment to improving cancer treatment services in Belize. Now living and working in North Carolina, she travels home every two to three months to work on the center in Dangriga. She is currently out of the country, but spoke to News Five via phone about the Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice and Home Care Center.

Via Phone: Raquel Leslie Battle, Founder/President, Blissful Sage Foundation

Raquel Leslie Battle

“As you know the need is great for a comprehensive spectrum of care for Belize with the rapid rise of cancer in the country. The Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice is only a small component of the bigger picture. The goal is to establish this hospice facility in Dangriga, which has not only a high prevalence of cancer, but also of HIV and AIDS. The initiative falls under the Blissful Sage Foundation, which is the governing body of the Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice as well as the Battle Cancer Walk in Placencia Village. And lastly, the CGIU, which is the Clinton Global Initiative University Commitment that I have made to president Clinton and his university, which is to build the Hospice in Dangriga—the Edlin Leslie Senior Hospice—as well as to establish the BEAT Cancer, which is a Belizean Educational Association for Treatment of Cancer. That is essentially a clearing house for all information on cancer, not necessarily to take the place of or replace the organizations doing such wonderful work in the country, but to be a focal point, a place of contact, a place that will guide those newly diagnosed or needing information on cancer once their diagnosed and need assistance. Those needing data; so it can be anyone from a cancer patient to a medical professional or anyone throughout the country wanting information on cancer.”

Delahnie Bain

“So how far are you in terms of the center itself?”

Edlin Leslie Sr.

Via Phone: Raquel Leslie Battle

“Currently, we have established the home care component and our goal was to have a ten year plan. That ten year plan has three components to it. The first component was the home care component, which we have successfully established over the last three years.”

Delahnie Bain

“Now you’ll be moving into the construction of the actual hospice?”

Via Phone: Raquel Leslie Battle

“Actually, we’re moving into the fundraising component for the establishment of this hospice, yes.”

While at the Clinton Global Initiative University, Battle had the opportunity to meet former US President, Bill Clinton.