By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Cancer Society of The Bahamas has announced its first telethon that will launch the organisation’s campaign to raise funds towards the $3m construction of the country’s first hospice care facility to help cancer patients.

The Building Hope Telethon on Sunday, May 31, will be the first in the Bahamas since 2010, when a similar televised fundraising event was held for Haiti earthquake relief.

The Cancer Society, a non-profit organisation, has been looking at expanding its existing Cancer Caring Centre on East Terrace, Centreville from ten rooms to 26 to ease the demand from patients.

Lovern Wildgoose, president of the Cancer of Society of The Bahamas, said yesterday that the telethon is expected to be the “largest contribution pipeline” for the group’s building fund. She added that Atlantis, the Paradise Island venue for the event, and media houses have signed up as partners.

According to Ms Wildgoose, a number of Bahamian leaders, including business people, government officials and medical professionals will be present to help handle phone lines and volunteer their time for an event organisers are hoping will raise a “substantial portion” of the $3m needed.

National medical statistics show that cancer remains the second highest cause of death among Bahamians. Since opening its doors in 2006, the facility in Centreville has provided more than 800 patients with essential care.

Ms Wildgoose added that the proposed expansion would aid the Cancer Society in its goal of reducing the number of people on the facility’s waiting list.

“We help so many people, especially from our Family Islands, who might otherwise have nowhere to stay and thus their treatment could be delayed, putting their futures on hold and endangering their chances of recovery,” she said.

“It is so hard to face someone who has just been diagnosed and say, ‘we have no room, can you wait?’ The more rooms we can offer, the more people we can help and the more lives we can possibly save.

“Cancer knows no gender. Cancer knows no race. Cancer knows no age. Cancer knows no social status. Cancer affects us all,” she added.

Plans for the 16-room expansion show that the centre aims to build an adjoining complex to its existing structure that also houses the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation.

The building, when completed, will create 16 new patient rooms, meeting and counselling rooms. Each room has two beds, one for the patient and one for a family member who acts as a caregiver.

The four-hour telethon, which starts at 1pm in the Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis, will feature entertainment by a number of popular Bahamian artists, including Visage and Kirkland ‘KB’ Bodie. The event will be broadcast live by ZNS, Cable 12 and JCN.

“We expect this to be an unforgettable afternoon with families coming out to support a cause that benefits everyone,” said Ms Wildgoose.