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Jamaica Cancer Society receives mammography unit from Sagicor Foundation

Published:Friday | July 13, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Radiographer Sharisse Francis (seated) shows off the features of the new Picture Archiving and Communication System mammography work-station unit to (from left) Yulit Gordon, Executive Director, Jamaica Cancer Society, Christopher Zacca, President and CEO, Sagicor Group Jamaica and Simone Walker, Executive Director, Sagicor Foundation and Vice President, Group Markting, Sagicor Group Jamaica.

In a bid to help in carrying out the mission of the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS) to eliminate cancer as a major health problem in Jamaica, Sagicor Foundation donated a much-needed mammography workstation unit to the JCS at a handover event on Thursday.

Known as a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), the unit consists of three monitors and a CPU, which will aid in making the mammography screening process more efficient for patients who visit the JCS.

Yulit Gordon, executive director of the JCS, expressed her gratitude to Sagicor Foundation, noting that this specialised equipment will place the society on the cutting edge of technology and will significantly improve the efficiency of the JCS's operations.

Some of the benefits of PACS include secure transmission of patients' mammogram images to anywhere in the world for review by referring physicians and minimising the need for retakes of images, which will significantly reduce the wait time for patients' results.

Additionally, Gordon noted, the JCS will save approximately $3 million annually because of this new equipment.

President and Chief Executive Officer of Sagicor Group Jamaica Christopher Zacca in his address highlighted Sagicor's long-standing commitment to the JCS, noting that this donation will go a far way in helping with early detection of cancer, which can increase patients' chance of survival.

"Sagicor has long been a committed supporter of the Jamaica Cancer Society and its various initiatives and activities aimed at and centred on raising awareness about cancer prevention and control. Sagicor stands behind you in this fight, and we will continue to throw our full support behind you as together we tackle this monster," he said.

According to recent studies conducted by the University of the West Indies, approximately 60 per cent of breast cancer cases diagnosed in Jamaica are among women ages 25 and 55 years old. It is also estimated that one in 21 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which is the leading cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Jamaican women.

"Sustained public education on breast self-examinations, clinical examinations and annual mammograms are key strategies to detecting breast cancer in its early stages," Gordon added.