THE Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS) can provide increased opportunities for screening for the disease, and diagnostic services, as well as expand its education and treatment programmes, thanks to a $4-million injection from CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank.
The money, the proceeds of the fourth annual CIBC FirstCaribbean Walk for the Cure in Jamaica, was presented by Nigel Holness, managing director of the bank, to Yulit Gordon, executive director of the JCS, at a ceremony at Knutsford Court Hotel last Tuesday.
Holness noted that each year since 2012, bank employees in Jamaica, friends, family and customers participate in a 10-lap walk at Emancipation Park in New Kingston to raise funds for the benefit of the JCS.
The bank’s employees across 17 Caribbean countries do likewise with funds raised benefiting the cancer organisations in their states, while the events coincide with the CIBC Run for the Cure hosted in Canada by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and sponsored by the bank’s parent company.
Holness said that he was “truly encouraged by the enthusiasm of all who are united in the fight against cancer, which has resulted in the doubling of the amount raised for the JCS this year over the last year”.
The bank also increased its contribution to cancer care regionwide, amassing US$400,000 through the Walk for the Cure — again doubling last year’s contribution to regional cancer associations.
Hailing this year as a phenomenal success, walk co-chairs, CIBC FirstCaribbean executives Trevor Torzsas and Mark St Hill, praised the fund-raising efforts of the bank’s staff and the enthusiastic support of the business community who came on board as sponsors.
“We doubled the funds raised and the number of participants this year,” Torzsas noted. “We could not have asked for a greater response from everyone involved. We thank everyone who took part in the Walk for the Cure for sharing our vision of a region and a world where persons afflicted by cancer and their loved ones can get the care and support they need and deserve: a region and a world where the words hope and recovery will be synonymous with cancer, and not despair or hopelessness.”
St Hill added: “The phenomenal growth of this event is a clear testament to the passion, drive and total commitment of Team CIBC FirstCaribbean. However, matching our passion and commitment every step of the way has been a corps of corporate sponsors who have adopted this cause with the same fervour as we have.
“Drawn from around the region and from diverse areas of commerce and enterprise, they have joined with us every year in larger numbers — making financial pledges and being present in person to walk and show support with those in whose names we do this. Many of them have already signalled their intention to making this event even bigger and better in 2016.” (Jamaica Observer)
