PRESS RELEASE
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, February 13, 2013 Children on the island of Nevis are enlisting to fight cancer. On Tuesday evening, Montesorri Academy students served guests at a dinner held at Chrishi Beach to raise money for Pink Lily Cancer Care.
The school’s principal, Denise Morgan said the dinner was timely as it was a fundraiser for cancer, “Many of our friends have been affected by cancer. We invited a Pink Lily representative to come and talk to our students, their parents and friends and also to take some donations for Pink Lily.”
“We tend not to talk to children about cancer but we can longer hide it from them and that is why we at Montessori have decided to begin to educate our student’s facts about cancer and ways they can understand. Facilitating the children to fund raise for cancer patients in the community gives them a sense of belonging to the community.”
Tracy Parris thanked the children for entertaining and serving guests. Ms Parris told the children she was Pink Lily’s Support Coordinator. She explained to the children that she calls and visits persons who are diagnosed with cancer when they request her to do so.
“We rely on the public to help us. What you need to know is that cancer stresses out those who are diagnosed with the disease. It is expensive to treat cancer. We just celebrated Pink Lily birthday on Saturday, February 9th. On Friday, February 8th Chemotherapy service was launched in Nevis so we now have chemotherapy clinic in Nevis.”
She said she also follows patients who have to get treatment overseas. “I call them whether they are in Cuba, Panama or States or any other country. Because of the availability of chemotherapy on the island, we were able to bring back home a lady called Ruby who was in Cuba for a year, away from her family, wondering where money would come from. Thanks for Dr Jessica Bardales-Essien, who sent a press release notifying us how cash strapped Ruby was. She was in Cuba and she did not have money to pay for her treatment.”
“Thanks for Dr Hobdy, we now have chemotherapy here. Ruby and others can receive treatment. The chemotherapy will be the same price but patients do not have to worry about accommodation and flights,” Parris said.