CIBC Walk for the Cure 2022 to be “bigger and better” Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

After a two-year hiatus, the Caribbean’s biggest fundraising walk – CIBC First Caribbean Walk for the Cure – returns with promises to be bigger and better.

Annually held on the first Sunday in October, the streets of Barbados are flooded pink as thousands ready to show their support for breast cancer awareness.

Speaking recently, at the launch held at Sugar Bay Hotel, Dr Stephanie Date, committee member of the Breast Screening Programme, announced a new route for the walk which will be held on Sunday, October 3.

The walk will kick off from FirstCaribbean and Massy Car Park, along the ABC Highway of the Everton Weekes Roundabout to Clyde Walcott Roundabout and along Waterford Road and conclude at the National Botanical Gardens.

Dr Date indicated that the new route was introduced out of an abundance of caution, to ensure that participants have “more space and a safer atmosphere”.

The BSP committee member revealed that this year’s donations will go toward purchasing a stereotactic biopsy machine which will work along with the 3D mammogram machine to “very accurately pin-point small microcalcifications and abnormalities in the breast” and “take biopsies of these abnormal tissue areas”.

“This walk has helped us purchase a state-of-the-art 3D mammogram machine that is functioning in our clinic and is already aiding in more accurate, reliable and early detection of breast cancer in Barbados. Every day, we are able to screen both men and women for this disease, which unfortunately continues to be the most common cancer in the world, with more aggressive subtypes being found in people of African Descent.

This year, when you come out to Walk for the Cure, we will be raising funds to maintain our clinic and our equipment but also to research this disease in our population and we are shifting our sights onto raising money to purchase a special add-on piece of equipment that will further enhance this already incredible 3D tomosynthesis machine,” said Dr Date.

The Breast Screening Programme is hoping achieve a minimum of $170, 000 to purchase the machine. Also honouring the 20th anniversary of the programme, there will be a limited number of customised anniversary shirts available to patrons.

Dr Date expressed that they hoped to see up to 15, 000 persons in attendance.

Shakira Grant, walk manager of CIBC FirstCaribbean, shared that several activities are planned for September and October to commence the celebrations.

“We have planned a number of fundraisers during September and October including our popular Paint for the Cure, Denim Days, a raffle and the dollar drives at the bank halls,” Grant shared.

She stated that their bank with the Breast Screening Programme was a year-round endeavour. In June, the bank surpassed its target of $50, 000 at Golf for the Cure.

Grant commended Barbadians for their unwavering support over ten years, noting that Barbados’ national interest was unrivalled in the region.

“We still have a way to go sometimes to match the fundraising for my counterparts in the Cayman Islands, but they can’t match us in the numbers and the national attention for our combined walk here,” she said.

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