BY PAUL JUNOR
There has been a lot of attention given to the rising incidences of breast cancer globally. Jamaica has not been immune from this as the study, “Breast Cancer in Jamaica: Stage, Grade and Molecular Subtype Distributions,” confirms. The report states that “Countries such as Jamaica, the age standardized incidence rate of breast cancer has moved from 43 per 100,000 in 2010 to 56.8 per 100,000 in 2018.” It is estimated that one in every twenty-one Jamaican women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. With one of the highest incident rates of breast cancer in the world, it is important that important preventative actions be taken to reduce this rate.
On Thursday, January 30th, 2025, Jamaica National Money announced that $1 million has been raised to combat breast cancer in Jamaica. Sanya Wallace, Assistant General Manager, Strategy, Marketing and Sales at JN Money is grateful for the generous contributions. She states, “Our customers across all markets have continuously demonstrated their generosity and compassion. Even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, they united to offer support. This donation again reflects their selflessness and also our commitment as an organization to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. We are proud to present this donation to the Jamaica Cancer Society and Jamaica Reach to Recovery to support some critical programmes, and activities that offer hope and support to breast cancer survivors and their families.”
“The rising incidence of breast cancer in Jamaica is of paramount concern”
Michael Leslie, Acting Executive Director of the Jamaica Cancer Society mentioned that the donation will go toward screening programmes and education activities. It will help to subsidize the cost of mammography screening, which amounts to about 40 per day with approximately about 200 every week. He states, “Early detection is key to improving survival rates and giving individuals a better chance at recovery and an improved quality of life.”
Sandra Samuels, President of Jamaica Reach to Recovery knows first-hand what it is like to rise about breast cancer. Ms. Samuel states, “We are grateful for the contributions made by the JN Money customers, especially because many women cannot even find the first dollar to start the process of recovery and fighting breast cancer is extremely expensive.”
“The $100,000 we allot per person may sound like a lot to some people, but really it is a ‘tups in the bucket’ if you’re diagnosed with the disease.” The donations will make a significant difference by helping women who do not have access to help. She notes, “Donations like these are so important to charities like ours as they assist us to aid underserved women who may otherwise not be able to access support during their difficult breast cancer journey.”
