NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 20, 2020) — The Ministry of Health continues to extend an invitation to persons to attend its Breast Cancer Awareness Forum dubbed “In the Pink of Things.” It will be held at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC) on October 21, 2020, from 9 a.m. to midday.

Ms. Shevanée Nisbett, Senior Health Educator at the Health Promotion Unit in the Ministry of Health on Nevis, made the appeal on October 20, 2020, the last day for interested persons to register for the event which will cater to 200 persons.

“The last day for registration is today October 20, but even if you don’t get to register you can still come to the forum…

“The forum promised to be enlightening with a wealth of information… So, it’s going to be action packed. It’s going to be educational and we will all leave feeling a sense of warmth and with a wealth of information,” she said.

Ms. Nisbett, who will serve as the event’s chairperson, spoke of some of the highlights which participants should expect.

“Our keynote speaker would be Ms. Camara Lee who is a breast cancer survivor. We will also be having testimonials by other breast cancer survivors as well as presentations by doctors such as Dr. Glenville Liburd, who will do a talk on women’s health and prevention for breast cancer; as well as Dr. William Stones who is an OBGYN, and he will be doing a talk on breast cancer itself.

“There will also be dance presentations. We will also have a song [rendition] by Ms. Venelle Powell,” she said.

The Ministry of Health through the HPU has designed a number of activities during the month of October dubbed “Pinktober” to observe World Breast Awareness Day on October 24.

Ms. Nisbett also spoke of the other activities geared towards breast cancer awareness slated for the remainder of the month in keeping with the theme: “Give Hope: Save lives.”

“To end off Pinktober on October 23 is our “Pretty Me Pink Day” that’s on the Friday. We are asking persons to wear pink because this day is to commemorate World Breast Cancer Awareness Day. As this day is celebrated on the 24th each year, and as that day falls on a Saturday, we are celebrating the day on Friday. So, we are asking everyone to wear something pink and this is in honour of breast cancer survivors, breast cancer fighters and those who have lost their lives to breast cancer,” she said.

October 24, 25 and the 31 will be devoted to breast cancer screening exercises. Ms. Nisbett also encouraged persons to take advantage of the screening opportunities which will be accessible in every community on the island.

“We have our mobile bus screening which will be done. We will be visiting various villages in the community and this is to encourage persons who wouldn’t necessarily come to town or to go to the doctor, the breast screening would be coming to you and we are encouraging persons when you see the bus or when you hear us announcing that the bus should be in your area, you get ready and you come to the bus and you get your breast screening done, free of charge.

“It is important for you to get screened even if you feel that you are low risk, if you feel like you are no risk, it is important to get screened because you never know. An early detection does save lives,” she said.