The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) yesterday handed over $4.7m to the Guyana Cancer Foundation (GCF), closing the curtains on the month-long PINKtober activities aimed at raising funds to fight cancer, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.
First Lady, Sandra Granger reiterated the importance of early detection in the fight against the disease and urged both men and women to schedule annual medical check-ups. She made these remarks at the PINKtober closing ceremony, where GTT presented a cheque for $4,752,680 to the GCF, from several 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.
GTT Marketing and Communications Consultant, 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 and survivors.
Gooden, the release said, 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. 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 lauded GTT for endorsing her organisation’s programmes and for utilising its corporate capacity to raise awareness about the prevalence of the disease.
