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Jamaica Cancer Society gets new bus

Published:Wednesday | March 2, 2022 | 12:05 AMAinsworth Morris/Gleaner Writer
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The Toyota Hiace bus that was presented to the Jamaica Cancer Society on February 21.
Nicholas Nunes
The Toyota Hiace bus that was presented to the Jamaica Cancer Society on February 21.
From left: Howard Foster, general sales and marketing manager, Toyota Jamaica Ltd; Michael Leslie, executive director (acting), Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS); Kim Mair, chief executive officer, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation; Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, minister of
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
From left: Howard Foster, general sales and marketing manager, Toyota Jamaica Ltd; Michael Leslie, executive director (acting), Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS); Kim Mair, chief executive officer, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation; Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, minister of state, Ministry of Health and Wellness; Kecia Taylor, president, Rotary Club of St Andrew North; Earl Jarrett, chairman, JCS; and Latoya Aquart-Foster, project manager, CHASE Foundation, at the handover of a Toyota Hiace minivan to the JCS by the Rotary Club of St Andrew North on February 21.
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Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS) was gifted with a brand new Toyota Hiace minibus valued at US$43,000. The bus was handed to the JCS last week.

The Rotary Club of St Andrew North, along with Jamaica Money Market Brokers, CHASE Fund, PROVEN, Mayberry Investments and Jamaica Broilers Group, pooled resources to purchase the bus. Funds were also raised from a charity golf tournament held in November 2021.

Kecia Taylor, president of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North, said they decided to purchase the bus to assist the JCS to carry out its humanitarian work.

“Today, our dream is now a reality – to provide transportation in the fight to help cancer survivors and provide preventative care across all parishes of Jamaica,” Taylor said.

SCREENING AND CANCER CARE

“The bus will assist with conduct of islandwide screening and cancer care by transporting doctors, nurses and medical equipment,” she added.

Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, state minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, said the Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self’, has been demonstrated by the club through the donation of the bus.

“It’s really an honour to share with you in this handover ceremony. Indeed, the spirit of philanthropy is alive and well, always with the Rotary Club, as well as through the work of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North, whose continuity in service remains a distinct part of its legacy,” she said.

Ronald Morgan, a driver at the JCS for 17 years, said he was very excited to see the new bus. He said the older bus had developed several problems.

“The power window couldn’t move up or down. The A/C wasn’t working,” he said, adding that with the new bus he will be able to drive in comfort again.

“This is excellent,” Morgan said, as he sat in the driver’s seat of the new Toyota Hiace.

Morgan said the bus is crucial to the operations of the JCS, and it is used to transport healthcare professionals to rural communities to provide treatment to cancer patients.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com