Jamaica Reach to Recovery grateful for support during and post pandemic
Published:Wednesday | November 2, 2022 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson / Staff reporter
Jamaica Cancer Society’s breast cancer arm, Reach to Recovery, is grateful for the support received from corporate Jamaica during one of the darkest and most devastating times in the world; the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chairman Carolind Graham, who was in attendance at The Gleaner’s ‘Live with Flair’ luncheon, geared towards celebrating breast cancer survivors, explained that when the pandemic hit, the team went back to the drawing board, contacting all previous sponsors to help others in their fight to beat this disease.
“What we did in 2020 was that we went through our list of sponsors for the Pink Run and we wrote everyone, saying that we understand that it is difficult times, we know you are having challenges, but so are we. Any assistance you could give us would be appreciated,” she explained to The Gleaner.
It was this direct candour that saw companies digging deep and giving what they could to the worthy cause. With many responding favourably, Graham returned in 2021 with a similar request, “We said, ‘We hate to be a nuisance, but we’re still in a bind.’ The truth is, although COVID is going on, there is cancer going on. And when someone finds that they can’t do an MRI or a CT scan or some test that is required and they come to us, we need to find the money.”
DEDICATED SPONSORS
While the funds were not at the level that the team was accustomed to, based on the financial backing received from the dedicated sponsors over those two years, the organisation was able to provide pragmatic support for breast cancer patients.
With the world now reopened, the planning committee decided to revive its annual fundraiser, the Insurance Company of The West Indies (ICWI) Reach to Recovery Pink Run. Graham questioned if there would be any support, given the fact that the nation is still recovering from the harsh blows of the islandwide lockdowns. She wondered, also, if there would be a fear factor as it related to the crowd, since the last staging in 2019 had over 7,000 participants.
Surmising that she wouldn’t get that kind of support this time around, the group forged ahead in bringing some normality to the fundraising activities, with a few twists along the way. “Instead of going for this competitive chip time event, we went for a family fun run so we could get families to come out and support the cause,” she highlighted.
The expectation was to get 3,000 persons registered. But on Sunday, over 5,000 persons showed up at Hope Gardens in Kingston to participate. “God is good. The support was overwhelming,” she happily remarked. From the shirts to the socks, they were both in short supply and were all sold out. Tutus were next to impossible to order because the stores didn’t have tulle. But people got creative, either revamping their old favourites or designing new ones on their own.
Even though some attendees missed the chip aspect of the run, the majority of those who came out, according to Graham, enjoyed themselves.
She hopes to continue in the mission to provide support in all its formats to persons who are on their journey to recovery from their diagnosis of breast cancer.
“We are breast cancer survivors, thrivers, and warriors. And we all have our own individual stories. But through our experiences, we can guide, be a big sister and hold the hands of those who are recently diagnosed and are facing challenges that they are not sure how to cope with,” she said.
As peer counsellors, the team assists sisters in the fight for recovery, so that they, in return, will pay it forward.
Following her address, the host of the day’s proceedings and breast cancer survivor, Stacey Hines, pledged $20,000 to the organisation for its valiant efforts and encouraged others to give support in whatever way they can.