One of Fiji’s political parties, the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) handed over more than $11,000 to the Fiji Cancer Society in Suva today.
Party Vice President Ro Teimumu Kepa presented society president Makrava Wilson $11,404.04 comprising $11,304.04 in cheque and $100 cash, that was collected via a party’s Pinktober fundraiser that was held late last month.
Wilson expressed the society’s gratitude saying that such donations and support have enabled it to carry out its work supporting current and former patients as well as their families.
“On behalf of the trustees, families that continue to support, Vinaka vakalevu,” Wilson said, “For the past 28 years, we have been blessed and privileged through the kinds of donations and support of corporate organisations such as yourselves to continuously provide a range of services and activities, such as providing cancer education and screening programs to our communities, patient support services which include the provision of medication that is not available in the free drug list, transportation and transfers, home visitations for patients who are not able to come to the hospital, medical supplies and bra fitting for women who have undergone their surgery, prosthetics in some occasions.”
Since December 2020, through donations and support as such, the society spent $10,000 on 36 surgical procedures, helping the CWM Hospital clear backlogs.
“We’d like to acknowledge as well, the kind donation that’s been received and for the work that SODELPA has started and will continue to start and also endorse. These are trying times not only for SODELPA, for this country and around the world with the pandemic. Words can’t thank you enough.”
Wilson also commended the party on their plans to do a similar awareness and advocacy for the Movember movement this month, which was also launched today.
He also used the opportunity to raise awareness on cancer and the importance of early detection, also calling on the public who may be unsure or unaware of where they can get help to contact the society should they or a family member is diagnosed with cancer.
“I’d like to also say the cancer does not sleep. Cancer does not discriminate. And we’d like to encourage men and women to please come forward. A small lump may not be cancerous. It could be some other NCD related illness, but to get checked. So early detection saves lives and we can’t express this enough.
“We’d also like to encourage families that know of friends and relatives that maybe journey with cancer but don’t know where to seek treatmentp lease just call the Fiji Cancer Society. We’d be happy to provide the services that are mentioned and services that are beyond those that I’ve mentioned as well. So on behalf of the trustees and the board members, and the staff like to say thank you, thank you for supporting the work we do for our patients.”
