Awareness, Education, Empowerment: Belize Observes World Cancer Day

Today is February fourth, and around the world, millions of people are coming together to observe World Cancer Day. This year’s global theme, “United by Unique,” reminds us that while cancer touches many lives, every patient’s journey is deeply personal and deserves care that puts people first. The day spotlights prevention, early detection, and equal access to treatment as key weapons in the fight against one of the world’s leading causes of death. Here at home, the Belize Cancer Society is championing that message by highlighting the human side of the disease. Today, we stopped by to hear from the Society’s President, Kim Simplis‑Barrow.

 

Kim Simplis-Barrow, President, Belize Cancer Society

“To us here at the Belize Cancer Society really mean that we’re putting we’re putting cancer at the center of the conversation. It really is about, humanizing the disease and putting making it people centered. It is having conversations about how cancer affects each individual because no two cancer journey is the same. It is about holding everyone accountable for our cancer patients and really having honest conversation about cancer.”

 

Britney Gordon

“What does the society plan to do this year to keep that momentum going?”

 

Kim Simplis-Barrow

“We have a whole calendar of events happening this year, as you are aware, last month was cervical cancer month and we are hosting a forum, a cervical cancer forum this year at St. Catherine Academy on the twenty-seventh of February. And really it’s about dialogue. It is, it’s about empowerment, it is about education and so we, of course had to have a testimonial. Someone who had been through Walk the journey of cervical cancer, and so we are obviously inviting everyone to come. We are partnering with PAHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness will, again have their HPV testing and vaccination on site. We’re thankful for that. We’re having our cancer walk in May. We continue on a monthly basis to highlight all cancers. Because it’s not just about cervical or breast cancer or prostate cancer it’s all cancers.”