BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN memory of the late Annette E. Jenkins, Pamela Armstrong-Hendrickson has started the Essence of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation which she hopes would aid in the fight against breast cancer.
“I lost my best friend Annette Jenkins in September 2000 to Breast Cancer. She was very well known and very loved by all who knew her. A prominent and productive citizen she was, as well as an entrepreneur in St. Kitts.
“Our relationship was special. She was the first one I would call when my world was crumbling. I watched my best friend suffer at the fate of this disease from the day she was diagnosed until her passing,” Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson also said that she watched her friend go through the stages of breast cancer; the loss of her hair from the treatments, losing her breast and the pains she endured.
“I suffered with her, cried with and for her, because I was helpless in not being able to help my best friend. The day of her passing was one I could never forget. St. Kitts has lost one of its really true and genuine souls and I have lost my sister and best friend.
“Since then, I have lost two more of my girlfriends to this disease and at the present time coping with my niece who is suffering with breast cancer. I made a promise that one day I would honour Annette’s memory by starting a Breast Cancer Foundation in St. Kitts to help all women who are suffering from this disease and to educate those who are not aware of breast cancer,” she said.
One of the long-term goals of the foundation is to raise enough funds to build a cancer wing at the Joseph N. France General Hospital to help spread the word about breast cancer.
“We hope that in building a cancer wing at the hospital this will prompt more doctors, nurses, and researchers to come to St. Kitts and join in the cause of fighting this disease. We would like to be partners with many of the breast cancer foundations across the world.
Hendrickson said that a committee was established to help in the fight against breast cancer, and the members are Claudette Jenkins, Julie Gumbs, Judith Romney, Jego Armstrong, Kai Williams, Kerine Archibald and Ian Phipps.
She declared that “Colour Me Pink” would be the subtitle used for all of the foundation’s fundraisers, and the first ever Colour Me Pink Breast Cancer Awareness week of activities would start with a church service on Sunday, October 17, 2010 and end with a walk on Saturday, October 23.
The theme for the walk is ‘Race for Life’ and it will not only be a fundraiser with participants making a donation of EC$35, but also to help create awareness, energise and educate the public. She added that it could also be used to recruit volunteers and advocates for the cause.
The week will also include guest speaker Omonike Robinson-Pickering, a young breast cancer survivor, who will speak to schools and colleges, sensitising them on Breast Cancer while Friday October 22 will be observed as ‘I Love Pink Day’.
“This is where we colour the town pink and we are asking businesses and citizens to wear pink that day in support of breast cancer awareness,” she said.
Hendrickson stated that the objective of the foundation is to make sure that future mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, wives, aunts and friends never have to suffer at the fate of the disease in the future.
“One of the foundation’s goals is to create activists - one person, one community, one town at a time, to try and help solve the number one health concern of women. We would like to keep the subject of breast cancer high in the public consciousness and have educational tools available to reach people.
“There is still tremendous work to be done and we will continue to raise funds throughout the months and years to come in helping to save lives,” she said.
Hendrickson said that they hope to make the week of activities an annual event but not limited to just Breast Cancer Month in October.
“We want to make sure that all through the years to come we continue to support this cause and continue to fight to bring an end to this disease. We not only want to bring the awareness of breast cancer to all, but we also want to make this a fun experience and anticipate that these events will always be a success while helping to get the message out,” Hendrickson said.
