By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A FREE mammogram initiative was launched in East Grand Bahama last week, providing some 100 women screenings at Doctors Hospital in Nassau.
Kwasi Thompson, MP for East Grand Bahama, partnered with Mammogram Access Programme (MAP) and Doctors Hospital to ensure that women in his constituency have access to screening for early detection and prevention of cancer.
Women who attended at the launch held at the Rand Nature Centre on Friday were able to connect and speak with a doctor virtually and received referrals for mammogram screenings.
Travel arrangements onboard Western Air to Nassau were provided for the women on Saturday and Sunday.
Mr Thompson commended the women for coming forward and signing up for the programme.
Among them was Brenamae Cooper, a resident of East Grand Bahama, who was incredibly grateful about having access to free mammogram screening.
“I think this is an excellent and timely programme and I commend the founders and organisers of this much needed initiative,” she said.
“Many people are unable to get annual mammograms for whatever reasons, and so this came right in time for me and so many other women that came here this evening,” Ms Cooper said.
She was also pleased to hear that flights were being provided.
Suzie Leadon-Robins was also appreciative.
“I am so excited and happy for this opportunity,” she said. “I appreciate it so much because I need to know what is happening with me because there are so many women who have died of breast cancer.”
Mr Thompson also commended Nikeia Watson, founder of MAP, and Dr Sheena Collie, chief medical officer at Doctors Hospital, for partnering with the East Grand Bahama Constituency Association to launch the initiative.
He stressed that the free mammogram programme is important due to the drop in screenings after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
“I thank Doctors Hospital for the important role that they are playing in this initiative, and I want to recognise Nikeia Watson, who has shown great interest in the wellbeing of women.
“Many women have issues with breast cancer, and the initiative came about because focus was on EGB after Hurricane Dorian, and Ms Nikeia recognised that the number of women taking mammograms went down in Grand Bahama. They looked at the numbers pre-Dorian and looked at it this year,” he said.
“You have (home) damage, you have different challenges, and unfortunately taking care of yourself and doing different checks comes secondary to getting your roof repaired, and to ensure that your children are back in school. And then COVID came. And so, we started this initiative to ensure that you become more active and take care of ourselves.”
Mr Thompson said the initiative is important to him because women in his family, including his mother and aunt, were diagnosed with breast cancer.
“My mother had challenges over the years, and my aunt is presently in hospital in Orlando fighting the same battle,” he stated.
He stressed that early detection is important. “So, that is the purpose of this, and I want to congratulate each one of you for stepping forward and participating and being a part of this, and I know it is not easy,” he said.
Ms Watson founded MAP to assist women with accessing mammogram screening.
“I started MAP because the screening numbers have been dropping for 20 years,” she said.
“This is a trend every time we get hit by a hurricane it would drop. After Dorian, which was a massive event, I knew that we would have put a focused effort on mammogram screenings and get the focus back on breast health.”
She said the plan is for the initiative to be an annual one.
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