Cancer survivors and their supportive families and friends joined in celebrating life with their Second Annual Survivors Dinner at CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa on Thursday, June 30.
The event was organised by the Anguilla Cancer Society which has become the leading voice for fighting the disease affecting a growing number of female and male persons on the island.
Speaking during the event, Mrs. Hyacinth Hughes, the Society’s Vice President, said that the dinner, in the month of June, was one of three major events held during the year. The others were a prostate awareness walk in September and a breast cancer awareness walk in October, funded by different sponsors. She said the size of the society had now reached over thirty members.
The current Anguilla Cancer Society Board comprises Jennifer Gumbs, President; Hyacinth Hughes, Vice President; Vernice Battick, Secretary; and Clifton James, Treasurer.
Four cancer survivors were honoured during the dinner. They were Mrs. Winifred Gumbs, Mrs. Charmaine Richardson-Rey, Mr. George L. Kentish, and Mr. Albert S. (Humphrey) Lake.
Mrs. Hughes took the opportunity of the dinner to thank a number of businesses and other supporters for their continued assistance in funding various other events each year. She stated: “We are deeply grateful to our major sponsors – Anglec, Flow (formerly Lime), First Caribbean International Bank, Scotiabank, Tropical Distributors and Hughes Medical Centre along with many other sponsors and supporters. Funds provided to us are used for mammogram and prostate testing as well as to assist persons with the cost of treatment. We thank all for their continuing support of our endeavours.”
Mr. Clifton James, one of original four persons who started the Anguilla Cancer Society, told The Anguillian: “The purpose of the dinner was to celebrate life with cancer survivors for another year. In 2015, for the first time, we decided to have an annual event and to join in the world-wide celebration of Cancer Survivors Month in June. Not only have we undertaken to have a dinner event but, at the same time, to honour survivors – and this year we selected four honorees.”
The other original members of the Cancer Society are Lorna Bacchus, Winifred Gumbs and Hyacinth Hughes.
