Hamilton, Bermuda, October 16, 2018 – Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre (the Centre) has been gifted a generous donation in memory of the late Mike Barnfield. Mitch and Carol Blaser have honoured the memory of their friend and former insurance executive Mike Barnfield by donating $20,000 to the Centre to support the radiation therapy initiative.
Honouring Mike Barnfield - (left to right) Clive and Lyndy Thatcher, Carol and Mitch Blaser, Darlene Barnfield, Fiona Luck.
The Commemorative Tile Wall in the Centre’s front entry is now dedicated in memory of Mr Barnfield, who was instrumental in the success of the first Relay For Life in Bermuda. "Mr Barnfield played a pivotal role in the inaugural year of Relay For Life, providing much guidance as we introduced an event of this size to the Island”, says Deborah Titterton Narraway, Chief Marketing Officer at Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. “As the Sponsorship Chair, Mike laid the groundwork for the tremendous sponsorship support we continue to receive from the business community including recruiting Mitch for Ironshore to be the presenting sponsor”.
“The sponsorship received from the business community is significant. It means that none of the funds raised by the teams and participants are used towards the event, instead 100% of those funds support the cause (95% supporting the Centre's Equal Access Fund giving all residents access to the Centre’s early cancer detection and radiation therapy services, and the remaining 5% supports the Global Relay For Life cancer initiative around the world)” Narraway continues.
Mitch Blaser, Vice Chairman of Ironshore Bermuda and Liberty Mutual Global Risk Solutions has been a strong champion for Relay For Life. Backed by his team at Ironshore, his company has been the presenting sponsor for Relay For Life since it started on the Island 4 years ago. During that time Relay For Life of Bermuda has raised over $2.2 million specifically to support the radiation therapy initiative.
Mitch said that “Mike was able to draw upon his charm, wisdom and wit to be the bright light that shined on people, causes and life’s challenges to make a difference to everyone he touched. He has left us all a fantastic legacy to continue the work to fight against cancer and be a champion for those afflicted and their loved ones”.
Ironshore Bermuda continues to be the presenting sponsor and is looking forward to the 2019 Relay. Funds raised by Relay For Life of Bermuda going forward support the Centre's Equal Access Fund to ensure that all residents of Bermuda have access to the Centre's services including radiation therapy regardless of their level of health insurance or ability to pay.
This generous $20,000 donation in support of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre’s radiation therapy initiative moves the Centre a step closer to raising the remaining $2 million needed to fund the build of the $10 million state-of-the-art radiation therapy unit. The RT unit has been operational since May 2017 and has a clinical affiliation with the #4 ranked US hospital for adult cancer care Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center.
More than 159 people havereceived radiation treatment (10 people have received multiple treatments) in Bermuda giving them the best possible scenario – receiving advanced radiation technology and individualised treatment while being able to participate in their daily life..... working, caring for their children and family and being surrounded by their loved ones.
