We have partnered with organisations across Bermuda for World Cancer Day 2024, February 4th, to raise awareness that almost 30-50% of cancers are preventable and raise much-needed funding for cancer prevention programmes.
Half the world’s population lacks access to the full range of essential health services. When it comes to cancer, many are denied basic care, even though we live in a time of awe-inspiring advancements in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. While Bermuda has been working hard to close the gap, ensuring our community can access cancer detection and treatment, there remains a significant gap on the prevention end of the pathway.
“Our current Cancer Prevention Programmes, which are provided free to the community, costs the Centre upwards of $128K per year,” states Deborah Titterton Narraway, Chief Marketing & Fundraising Officer at Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. “For a fraction of what it costs the island to diagnose and treat cancer, we could increase our prevention effort and impact 30-50% of cancers deemed preventable through daily lifestyle changes. The result would be a healthier population and a dramatic reduction in the cost to the healthcare system.”
The Centre, through its Cancer Prevention Programmes, aims to reduce the burden of cancer within our community and, as a result, lower the Island’s challenge of rising healthcare costs for cancer. Our prevention programmes are free for all and solely funded by donations. Our programmes include presentations on reducing your cancer risk and accreditation programmes such as SunSmart, where the island’s youth are engaged from a young age through high school to understand the importance of sun-protective behaviours.
"Our Cancer Prevention Programmes underscore that many of the factors that influence our cancer risk are within our control, rooted in lifestyle and personal choices” continues Narraway. “This means that we have some control over our exposure to these factors and by making changes we not only reduce the likelihood of cancer diagnoses but also mitigate the risk of other non-communicable diseases."
Here are some simple ways we can come together to help make cancer prevention information and programmes more accessible to the broader community.
Shop at the following businesses during these dates and answer yes when asked to round up at the cash register:
• Miles Supermarket - is rounding up at the till on Friday 2nd of February
• Supermart Limited - is rounding up at the till 12 February till 18 February
Visit the following locations and look for our World Cancer Day donation boxes to donate:
- Buzz locations including Bakery Lane, Warwick Gas Middle Road, 24 Esso City, West Hamilton, Washington Mall, Crawl Hill, Collectors Hill
- CG Pharmacy
- Devils Isle
- Flying Colours
- Island Pantry
- Island Pharmacy
- L’Oriental Express
- My Pharmacy
- Rock Island
- Rubis East Broadway
- Specialty Inn
- The Cottage Café
- Toothworx
- Tuck Shop
- Village Pantry
Support your children and their schools who are generously hosting World Cancer Day Denim Days:
- Dalton E. Tucker Primary
- Dellwood Middle School
- East End Primary
- Elliott Primary
- Gilbert Institute
- MSA
- Northlands Primary
- Port Royal Primary
- Purvis Primary
- St David’s Primary
- St. George’s Preparatory
- Victor Scott Primary
- West End Primary
World Cancer Day donations will help to fund our cancer prevention programmes as we work to raise awareness that 30-50% of all cancers are preventable, and the choices you make each day can help you reduce your cancer risk!
Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre believes Prevention is the key to both better health and lower healthcare costs over the long haul. We invite the community to act by donating today! For more information on our World Cancer Day activities and our Cancer Prevention Programmes click the links.
