Get tested early for a fighting chance against cancer

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger smiles as GTT Brand Ambassador, Mr. Saiku Andrews presents her with a framed photograph depicting a series of activities that the company undertook to raise awareness about breast cancer during October month. GTT Brand Ambassadors Mr. Andrew Thoven and Ms. Poonam Singh are also pictured.

Georgetown: As the Guyana Cancer Foundation (GCF) and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT) close the curtains on the month-long PINKtober activities aimed at raising funds to support the fight against cancer, First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger reiterated the importance of early detection in the fight against the disease and urged both men and women to safeguard their health by scheduling annual medical check-ups. She made these remarks at the PINKtober closing ceremony, where GTT presented a cheque valued $4,752,680.00 to the GCF, which was garnered from the myriad fundraising activities.

“I am very happy that GTT has come on board because too often we have been saying that people do not understand the importance of early testing. So I urge you; especially our younger people, to start having early annual check-ups, that is how you capture all the… infirmities that you might have at an early stage… I urge you women, especially in relation to breast and cervical cancer; put yourselves first,” she said.

The First Lady further commended GTT for their tremendous Pinktober initiative and encouraged other members of the corporate community to emulate their example as cancer affects all segments of the population. “I hope that [GTT] can influence other members of the corporate community to follow them in this practice of corporate social responsibility,” she said.

Meanwhile, GTT Marketing and Communications Consultant, Ms. Samantha Gooden said that the company took the decision to launch the PINKtober Initiative so that it could make a greater, more tangible contribution to groups and organisations that support those suffering from the disease as well as survivors. “With Pinktober we were able to give first and foremost to our people,” she said.

Ms. Gooden also noted that the company plans to build on the initiative. “GTT continues to be committed to the cause. We are already in plans and negotiations for Pinktober 2018… We are going to work with the Guyana Cancer Foundation to ensure that this is a topic that stays alive so listen out for more,” she said.

President of the GCF Ms. Bibi Hassan said the funds will be used to expand the range of support services her organisation provides, which will include prostate cancer screenings in the new year. She too commended GTT for endorsing her organisation’s programmes and for utilising its corporate capacity to raise awareness about the prevalence of the disease in Guyana through the ‘No Bra Day’ initiative, the 5k/10k Walk and Pink Fridays activities, among others. GTT also collaborated with private sector businesses and other entities such as Pulse Entertainment, which hosted the PINKtober Pretty in Pink Benefit Dinner and Synergistic Blends Choir and Chronix, which will be hosting the Celebration of Life and Smile Guyana concerts, respectively.