By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

ANDREA Sweeting, president of the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group and a long-time cancer advocate, died on Saturday in Florida.

She celebrated her 75th birthday on February 7.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our hero. Our hearts are broken,” her family said in a statement.

“However, we are comforted by the countless lives she has touched. Heaven has gained our precious gem.”

The brainchild of Dr Locksley Munroe and Dr Charles Diggiss, the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group was launched in September 2000 as a non-profit charitable group providing mental, spiritual, and financial assistance to women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called the two-time cancer survivor a “symbol of hope and resilience”.

 “In The Bahamas, Andrea’s impact was profound,” he said in a statement yesterday. “She transformed her personal trials into a nationwide crusade for awareness, support, and healing, touching lives in every corner of our islands.”

 “Her legacy is woven into the fabric of our community, a lasting reminder of what it means to fight with grace and to lead with love.

“Andrea’s work with the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group was more than a mission; it was a movement that galvanised our nation to stand in solidarity with those affected by breast cancer.

“She inspired us to embrace the power of community and recognize that we are stronger together in the face of adversity.”

 Details of her celebration of life will be announced shortly, relatives said.