All for one, and one for all! An intergenerational team brings the topic of cancer control to St. Peter parish, Barbados. Photo used with permission.
Replacing Fear with Hope: World Cancer Day in Barbados
The small island developing state of Barbados (situated in the eastern archipelago of the Caribbean Sea) has one of the highest mortality rates from breast, colorectal and prostate cancer in the world.1 Many persons with cancer on the island present in advanced stages requiring palliative care (PC), however PC is not fully integrated fully integrated into the public health care system.
It's never too soon! Educating high school students about cancer control. Photo used with permission.
We Gatherin' Community outreach was the core of this World Cancer Day event in Barbados. Photo used with permission.
At Speightstown Esplanade University students of nutrition and diatetics joined medical students at the event. Photo used with permission.
On February 4, 2025, an intergenerational team of mainly young people harnessed the global momentum of World Cancer Day to educate people in the northern parish of St. Peter on important aspects of cancer control. Cancer control involves prevention, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliation. The day’s activities included a public lecture to more than 800 high school children and free public access to cancer screening. It was organized by Meshell Carington of St. Peter's “We Gatherin'” committee and the Mile and a Quarter Seventh-day Adventist Church, supported by the Barbados Cancer Society, the Caribbean Colorectal Screening Initiative, and the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill.
IAHPC Board Member Dr. Natalie Greaves, who participated in the event, noted that fear and stigma complicate cancer and palliative care provision on the island.2 She added that the day’s activities were important in disrupting fear and replacing it with knowledge and hope. Dr. Greaves was particularly encouraged by the involvement of youth noting that “the vision, and energy of youth are essential but often untapped components of palliative care advocacy” a situation that she said she hoped would change globally.
References
1. Global Cancer Observatory, International Agency for Research on Cancer, and World Health Organization. Barbados statistics at a glance, 2022.
2. Spence D, Austin Argentieri M, Greaves N, et al. Palliative Care in the Caribbean through the Lens of Women with Breast Cancer: Challenges and opportunities. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 2018; 10(3):157-169.
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IAHPC News briefs
108 National Associations Given 1-Year Free Membership A total of 56 new palliative care associations have joined in this important first step of IAHPC's focus on national advocacy for improved access. Read more.
Stella Rithara at IAPCON Rithara encourages IAHPC members to attend such events in person, as "it gives us an opportunity to talk about our activities. Read more.