MoBay Community College raises funds for cancer fight

Sheena Gayle, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Students at the Montego Bay Community College (MBCC) rose to the challenge of fighting cancer through their annual charity walk last week Friday to raise funds for the Cancer Outreach Society.

According to teacher Nichol Jackson, one of the organisers, the effort is undertaken each year during Breast Cancer Month to help raise awareness of the disease and also to raise funds for the Cancer Outreach Society.

"The effort originally started years ago to raise funds for one of our colleagues who, at the time, was battling cancer. This is the third year of the charity walk," Jackson said.

"We have given funds raised to students' parents who suffer from the illness, so it's really a charity effort done each year because we realised that more and more people are being affected by it."

Jackson commended the teachers and students for rallying behind the cause of fighting cancer in supporting the event.

The walk started on the college grounds, proceeded to the Catherine Hall community, back on to Howard Cooke Boulevard, then on to Alice Eldemire Drive before returning to base.

Participant Dario Shields, author and student at the college, described the walk as an important event.

"It is something that motivates all of us as students at this college. Cancer is something that has affected my family. It means something to people fighting this disease to know that there are others out there who are helping them to fight it," he revealed.

"This is something I would encourage other young people to get involved in - the fight against cancer. Who knows? I may have cancer one day and I would like to know that there are people who share my dream of overcoming the illness."

Cancer survivor and a member of the Cancer Outreach Society, Dessina Nemhard, lauded the efforts of the institution and its students to raise awareness of an issue that affects many Jamaicans.

"This is a heart-warming effort and I am touched by it. As a cancer survivor, it goes a long way for others to share the dream of a cure and how we are to be keen about our diet or nutrition," Nemhard stated.

"What they have done is a great move as a lot of people are afraid to talk about it. So as much as possible, we all need to be aware that this disease is real."