By Janice Julian

TAPPAN, N.Y.:

Caribbean Ameri-can philanthropist Vincent HoSang is calling on the Jamaican Diaspora support to assist in raising $2.2 million to purchase a lifesaving machine for the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The Jamaican born HoSang, through the Vincent HoSang Family Foundation, has partnered with the Jamaica Association of Administrative Professional, JAAP and the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce to raise the well needed money to purchase a Linear Accelerator Machine, LINAC for the western hospital in the country.

The LINAC Machine is the latest apparatus in the treatment of cancer-using external beam radiation to target and destroy cancerous cells while sparing the surrounding tissues.

“My companies, Royal Caribbean Bakery and Caribbean Food Delights were approached for assistance in purchasing the machine, but I felt that in addition to our contribution, an even greater impact could be achieved if, the Jamaican Diaspora got involved,” said the companies’ Chairman.

“There are approximately a million Jamaicans living in the northeast and if each person donates a dollar, the LINAC machine project could be realised even sooner.” great importance The machine is of great importance to Jamaica, because the demand for cancer treatment is increasing, said Jamaica Association of Administrative Professional officials.

According to the Jamaica Information Service based on an article in the West Indian Journal, “the annual increase of cancer in Jamaica is currently 65.5 cases for each 100,000 males in the population.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among Jamaican women, accounting for 18 percent of related deaths each year.” Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer among Jamaican women 18 to 24 years old in Kingston and St. Andrew; prostate cancer is the most common type in men. Jamaica currently has only one LINAC machine which is 10 years old and that machine is located in Kingston.

It is inadequate to serve the percentage of patients needing treatment of the 2.5 million population nation. “There is dire need for a machine in the west, given the rate of cancer cases and it is difficult to imagine how that single machine could promptly serve the hundreds of persons who require treatment,” said HoSang.

“Additionally, the hundreds of miles to journey from one end of the island to the other, is even more so depressing when one requires treatment.” Purchasing the new LINAC machine will also reduce exorbitant costs and ultimately save lives, he added.

According to the Jamaica Cancer Registry, Jamaica’s breast cancer mortality rate is at a 30.1 per one thousand compared to the United States 21.5.

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in men. “Cancer lies dormant in all of us,” said Dr. David Servan Schrieder. “Even though there is a risk in the occurrence of the disease and death relating to lack of treatment, the need for testing and early detection is under-prioritized in Jamaica.” spearheaded The Vincent Family Foun-dation will be organizing a Jamaican Diaspora fundraising sub-committee in association with the official campaign fundraising group in Jamaica, spearheaded by the Jamaica Association of Administrative Professional, JAAP by mid-June.

The Campaign’s Communi-cation and Promotions Partner is Mediasol and work commenced in March 2012. The Vincent HoSang Family Foundation is a 501 (C) (3) not for profit organisation whose guiding principles are simple: “One hand washes the other. Our numerous successes come from the community and we are forever grateful.”