Published 27 October 2021
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Source: LOOP NEWS
The month of October is used to spread awareness about Breast Cancer. Events are hosted, commemorative pins are worn and the colour pink is used to honour those who have fought breast cancer and those who continue to fight.
In St. Kitts, Reach for Recovery SKB Breast Cancer Support Group offers assistance to those in need year-round while using the month of October to further awareness efforts with the hosting of activities synonymous with the group.
This Support Group was the brainchild of the late Ms Agnes Farrell.
Reach for Recovery SKB Breast Cancer Support Group
In 2002, the group was officially founded by breast cancer survivor, Agnes Farrell. Agnes would meet with four persons she met during her travels to Trinidad for treatment. They met at her home and soon she involved her family and close friends. Being a lecturer at Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College she sought and got permission to use a room there to hold meetings.
The group had no official name at the time. Later on, another survivor suggested the name and they used the model of other support groups in Canada. The name seemed appropriate since it was made of ladies who were, for the most part, heading to recovery.
At that time cancer was laced in fear and denial. People in St Kitts were still referring to Cancer, as ‘the Big C’. The main focus of the group was therefore to bring awareness to the reality, presence and seriousness of the deadly disease among women and men in St.Kitts and Nevis. At that time there was one male who was diagnosed in St. Kitts.
Agnes started a vigorous campaign using every talk show on the radio to tell her story of how she found a lump in her breast. Friends would chastise her for being so open, but she felt it was her responsibility to make women “less afraid of what I know”.
In 2006 she used this as the slogan for T-shirts, raising funds to assist those who were less fortunate than she was. The awareness campaign moved from radio talk shows to lectures at various churches and community centres, on to an annual parade through the streets of Basseterre, the erection of billboards, participation in carnival, and lunchtime forums to a more proactive approach.
The group then partnered with Cable and Wireless to offer free mammograms to the number of women who came out in their numbers to the Ocean Terrance Inn Conference Room. Over one hundred vouchers for paid mammograms were distributed. A new wave of fear set in as the doctor present showed pictures of breasts, that left most persons teary-eyed. As a result, many persons did not follow up on the free offer.
In 2012 Mrs Agnes Skerritt joined the group and allowed the group to use a part of the then Skerritt’s Drug Store on Fort Street for awareness activities. In partnership with Students for Health of the Windsor University during October, a number of women were screened. The group took the opportunity to purchase and sell memorabilia to raise funds to assist persons undergoing treatment.
Shades of Pink
Over the years, as more persons became aware and more persons began screening and doing self-breast examinations the number of cases seemed to increase.
Unfortunately, some lost the battle and succumbed to the disease. In 2012, this gave birth to a celebration of those who survived, dubbed ‘Shades of Pink’.
Celebrating its tenth year, it is now the group’s flagship event. This celebration and fundraiser Shades of Pink takes place on National Heroes Day on September 16 annually.
Funds raised from this event are used to fund the activities in October recognized globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer treatment is costly and in the past persons had to travel overseas for chemotherapy; Reach offers financial assistance to these persons.
Pretty in Pink
The children and youth have not been left out. In October 2012 Reach for Recovery launched a “Pretty in Pink” Facebook photo competition mainly to spread awareness among the country’s young women and to engage users with pertinent information about breast cancer via this very popular social network.
The following year Reach decided to expand the audience by opening the contest to males as well, to reinforce that breast cancer does not discriminate with gender. The contest was suitably renamed “Posh in Pink”.
Another event involving youth was the start of the Pink Mufti Day for schools. Each child would creatively dress in pink and donate a minimum of $1.00 to the cause.
All private primary and preschools alike donated to the cause. The group continues to be grateful for the opportunity to ensure young people are more informed about the disease.
Community Collaboration
Reach felt compelled to rally the corporate community to assist financially to help save lives. The belief is that the wealth of a nation is the health of its people and so many business institutions began to partner with Reach for Recovery in the fight.
Reach has united companies, communities, individuals across the federation for nearly two decades. Some companies have hosted events and donated full proceeds to Reach for Recovery. These include ‘Vibes Turns Pink’ held for four consecutive years, Mojitos ‘Salsa Night’ and The CIBC First Caribbean walk for the cure for two consecutive years.
Individuals have done their part too, as in 2014 the crowned National Queen, Ms Jaycees International, Kaeve Armstrong, donated $1,000 to the group to assist with giving mammograms.
Educationally Reach donated a collection of books owned by the founder on the topic of breast cancer to the Charles Halbert Library in her memory. She was an ardent reader in keeping with her profession of lecturer.
Breast cancer survivors have added concerns with Covid 19 as they fall in the bracket of persons with underlying conditions. Reach donated a number of masks and $2,000 to the NEOC to ensure that persons leaving home to attend appointments at the Oncology Unit at the JNF Hospital are protected.
Beyond October
Reach efforts go beyond the month of October.
In February 2020 to commemorate World Cancer Day and the organisation’s nineteenth anniversary, Reach joined forces with the St. Kitts Nevis Defence Force to hold a major cycling event dubbed “Cycling with Courage and Purpose.”
Seeing the need for networking among the survivors, Reach has introduced a fun day for survivors. The party bus, the Sugar City Train excursions were well-received under the theme ‘A Passion for Survivors’. This included having lunch together. Each person is generally allowed to bring a caretaker if necessary or a family member. This takes place in November.
Also, in November, Reach hosts the all-Male Forum. It is felt that if the men are educated and show more support to their partners, more women will go forward to get tested and the men themselves would be aware that they too are at risk albeit at a lower risk factor.
These sessions are dubbed “Taking care of your Breast Friends.”
In an effort to draw more attention to the Pink campaign Reach for Recovery SKB Inc. partnered with Sagicor Life Inc. to paint speed bumps across Basseterre pink. This targets motorists and their passengers who will make the connection between the unusual colour of the speed bumps and the signs erected next to the bumps. The prompts the viewer to think of their breasts and to do one of three: self-breast examination, visit doctor or clinic for professional examination or to get a mammogram if over forty years old.
The Pink Zone
On August 14 this year, Reach For Recovery SKB showed its commitment to breast cancer survivors and breast cancer awareness when it officially launched a breast cancer awareness and support facility in West Basseterre. The Pink Zone offers a safe space for survivors. It also offers information on Breast Cancer and memorabilia.
Reach continues to offer free screenings, assistance with mammograms and accessibility to a prosthesis and other body image items to build self-confidence will continue. Reach has screened on average 85 persons annually and took financial responsibility for persons referred for further testing as a result of findings of the free screening.
Agnes Farrell was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. She lost her battle with cancer in 2019.
The group, now led by her sister Patricia Farrell continues to believe that there is no stopping of awareness efforts “till every woman knows” that cancer is real in the federation and that it is not a death sentence, as Reach continues to offer support emotionally, spiritually and financially.
