Flow offers support to BCS and HIV/AIDS Commission
For the second successive year, the Barbados Cancer Society and the National HIV/AIDS Commission have benefitted from more than $10,000 in support from telecoms provider, Flow.
As part of the company’s ‘Let Christmas Flow‘ initiative, the funds were recently presented to Dr. Dorothy Cooke-Johnson, honorary secretary of the Barbados Cancer Society, and Stacia Whittaker, community nutrition officer and food bank manager with the National HIV/AIDS Commission.
“There are some members of our community who depend upon the kindness and generosity of local companies and agencies. Under very challenging circumstances, both the Barbados Cancer Society and the National HIV/AIDS Commission successfully provide essential services and we are especially pleased to be renewing our partnership with them both on behalf of our customers,” said Marilyn Sealy, Director of Communications, Flow Barbados.
“It may be a small gesture, but we do hope to make a positive impact on the lives of at least some Barbadians this Christmas and we sincerely hope that our contribution will make at least one day easier for someone living with cancer or HIV/AIDS.”
Dr. Cooke-Johnson and Whittaker thanked Flow for its donation and both strongly urged Barbadians to get tested for cancer and HIV/AIDS.
“Cancer robs our country of approximately 500 persons each year but we will not give up the fight. People come to us on a daily basis and they are quite desperate to get the most basic of necessities, so contributions such as the one we received from Flow are very much welcomed and we will persist in our appeals to individuals and companies to continue to donate,” said Dr. Cooke-Johnson (left).
“There are many families who are afflicted with cancer, and many times, it’s the breadwinner who is directly fighting this disease. That means they are too fragile to go to work and earn a living, so in the end they rely on gifts and donations to get by.”
Whittaker said that Barbadians living with HIV/AIDS still faced unwarranted stigma and discrimination.
“In a small society like ours, persons living with HIV/AIDS not only have to struggle with the virus, but they have to deal with the rumors, stares and ostracism that come with it. It is a very unfortunate situation,” Whittaker (left) said.
“And due to the stigma that still exists, it is very difficult for us to know the true number of Barbadians living with the virus but we will forever promote testing and knowing your status. If it turns out that you are HIV positive we can help; if your test comes back negative, practice behavior to keep it that way.”
