The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Island Luck Cares Foundation yesterday launched its third annual "Check It, to Catch It" breast cancer screening initiative, with officials expanding the programme to Grand Bahama.

"Check It, to Catch It", according to Island Luck CEO Sebas Bastian has benefitted more than 700 Bahamian women since its inception, with three of them detecting the disease at early stages.

Mr Bastian, addressing reporters during a press conference at his Collins Avenue office, said the programme's success rate in New Providence continues to be the largest driving force behind its growth and expansion.

He said the initiative, which allows IL patrons to present their IL cards at the Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre in Nassau, and now the Lucayan Medical Centre in Freeport, offers clients a chance to access the critically important screening, free.

"Having lost many friends and loved ones to the deadly disease, cancer, I know first-hand the importance of early detection," he said.

"… I would like to encourage all of our patrons at Island Luck to seize this opportunity to 'Check It, to Catch It'."

On hand for yesterday's launch was Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre CEO Elizabeth Darville and Cleopatra Cooper, supervisor of the Radiology Department at the Lucayan Medical Centre.

For her part, Mrs Darville implored all IL clients to take advantage of the opportunity being offered.

She said while screenings are recommended and offered throughout the year, initiatives offered throughout the month of October provide a tremendous opportunity for persons that don't usually consider mammograms.

"Screening is extremely important, and screening means that you have your mammogram before you have any sickness," she said.

"That is when you can catch it early and when it is curable rather than, we are just trying to make you comfortable."

Mrs Darville added: "So we are hoping that many people take advantage of this opportunity and come and get their mammograms done."

Meanwhile, Mrs Cooper said her organisation is ecstatic to be on board with the initiative, insisting that the opportunity will benefit scores of Grand Bahamians.

"Being the first one, I would really like to encourage all of the Grand Bahamian women to take advantage of this free mammogram initiative that is going to be available for the month of October.

"Lucayan Medical Centre, we are known for our participation in the community and we have been around for 50 years and we have to look forward and thank Mr Bastian for extending his hand out and using our facilities for such wonderful initiative as this," she added.

According to Mrs Cooper, seven out of ten patients screened at Lucayan Medical who are diagnosed, are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease, which allows for quality treatment and care.

She said with initiative, more women would be exposed to better preventative care.

The IL Cares Foundation is considering a further expansion of the initiative to Family Island communities, according to Mr Bastian.

However, he said the locations being considered would depend on the scope and ability of the health facilities on those islands.