Each year, many people, who could have stood a fighting chance if diagnosed in time, die from various forms of cancer, highlighting the fact that early detection is important in protection from the disease. These were the words of group corporate communications manager of Republic Bank Limited, Tisha Lee, during the bank's Care For Media Screening Day yesterday at its Promenade Centre, Port-of-Spain branch. Lee said the mobile screening day was part of the bank's commitment to winning the fight against cancer. "If you take the time to see about yourselves and loved ones, you will be light years ahead of the disease and have the best chance of winning," said Lee.
The bank, in association with the Cancer Society of T&T, set up a mobile unit where media personnel can access tests, such as pap smears, blood tests, prostate exams and breast self-exams. Project manager of the Cancer Society, Ann Paula Bibby, said the screenings were the best first step in the fight against cancer. "We see people who sometimes only find out they have the disease when they are in stage four and it is more difficult to treat. People can have longer lives if they find out at an earlier time," added Bibby. The cancer screening day formed part of the early events to celebrate October as cancer awareness month and would end with a cancer walk at the end of October in both Trinidad and Tobago.