The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

REPRESENTATIVES of the Cancer Treatment Centres of America (CTCA) are gearing up to officially launch their Cancer Fighters programme here in the Bahamas to help those living with the disease to “nurture, engage and empower one another”. Cancer Fighters is about patients and caregivers connecting with each other.

More than a dozen cancer survivors met up at Luciano’s of Chicago in Nassau last month to discuss the importance of the initiative in the Bahamas.

As stated on the CTCA’s website, the Cancer Fighters programme was internationally created for patients more than two decades ago. The programme is comprised of CTCA patients and their caregivers who offer a number of resources to support fellow CTCA patients during their journey with cancer.

“I think the programme is going to do very well in the Bahamas because these persons are so excited about life,” said Tina Lightbourne, a local CTCA representative.

“They don’t ever think about anything negative. What they do over there in the US is teach persons lifestyle changes. They focus more on helping persons to live with cancer, and that is what we want to do here. What we are seeing now is more cases but less persons having a demise with it.”

She said it is vital for persons to know that cancer is not a death sentence and that life can go on after the diagnosis. This is a mindset she is hoping to spread with the development of the Cancer Fighters programme locally.

“The Susan G Komen Race for the Cure was a clear example of how you can still survive this fight. Along with the CTCA we educate people on how to live a good quality life with cancer, so it is not about ‘I’m going to die’, it is about, ‘Now that I have found out that I have cancer, how am I going to live with it or improve my quality of life’,” said Ms Lightbourne.

In addition to the Cancer Fighters programme, Ms Lightbourne also noted her involvement with CTCA’s Patient Navigation operation in the Bahamas. They work along with CTCA doctors to get local patients registered and equipped for travel, if needed, to one of five CTCA locations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tulsa or Atlanta.

“There have been times we have assisted with visas, making sure the patient gets their OK. We have worked in collaboration with CTCA’s team on getting them all settled and their treatment all organised. Once they get back on the island we meet with them and make sure that everything is going well and talk about their patient experience, which is always a wonderful one,” said Ms Lightbourne.

She said feedback so far has been positive, and everyone who has been sent off for treatment has had good experiences.

“From the day they hit the airport there is someone meeting them, to greet them, to get them to the hospital and all set up. It is different and the patient experience is like none other. The comments that come back to us are like, ‘We felt like we were on vacation’. While the patient is getting treatment or doing tests, the hospital also arranges caregivers to do certain activities. There is a salon at the centre, so we have patient wives who had their hair and nails done at the salon,” said Ms Lightbourne.

She said most Bahamian patients usually get treated in Chicago.

“One of them actually told me she’s not moving from Chicago. Words cannot explain what a nice experience it has been working with all patients,” said Ms Lightbourne.