Caribbean news. Last October, Bahamas Waste unveiled their big pink truck to raise awareness of cancer and during this special unveiling, Hon. Melanie Griffin, Minister of Social Services and Community Development said, “You cannot fight breast cancer – or any other form of cancer – with ribbons alone, you fight it with a team.”
During the unveiling ceremony, Minister Griffin took the first selfie with the truck and launched the #BigPinkPics cancer awareness selfie promotion. From October through December 2014, Nassau residents joined the Bahamas Waste team and various cancer groups by taking #BigPinkPics with the colourful big pink garbage truck to help raise awareness of cancer and to advocate cancer screenings and early detection.
“I just want to thank everyone that was involved in the promotion,” said Francisco de Cardenas, Managing Director of Bahamas Waste. “At the end of the day if we encourage just one person to get tested, it was successful.”
Photo courtesy http://www.bahamaslocal.com
The big pink garbage truck also displays Bahamas Waste’s support of various cancer associations and charities as well as listing the websites for Komen Bahamas and Ride for Hope. Ride for Hope represents six cancer groups including Bahamas Cancer Society, Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative, Cancer Association of Grand Bahama, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support and Ride for Hope.
Bahamas Waste knows cancer personally as their Medical Waste Facility Manager, Hartley Strachan is a two-time cancer survivor. The campaign shows that real men wear pink and the entire team at Bahamas Waste hopes that the big pink truck will encourage men to get screened for cancer, as they advocate for the screening and prevent of ALL cancers.
Minister Griffin noted during the unveiling ceremony that the incidences of non-communicable diseases – breast and cervical cancer in particular – are a source of major concern in The Bahamas and indeed the world. Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in females and was the third-leading cause of deaths in females in 2010.
Moreover, The Bahamas has the highest incidence of inherited breast cancer in the world and the average age of women at the time they are diagnosed with the disease is lower than that of women in the United States.
During the selfie promotion, nine winners were picked, receiving prizes including t-shirts, gift cards, fuel vouchers and free mammograms from supporting sponsors including Bahamas Ferries, FOCOL Sun Oil, John Bull, Starbucks, Caribbean Bottling (Coca-Cola), Micronet, and Fourth Terrace Diagnostics.
To see all of the selfies, visit the Bahamas Waste Facebook page. .Photo courtesy http://www.bahamaslocal.com
The winners included Patrick Terrance Robinson, Samantha Culmer-Kemp, Tonya Ferguson, Ajayi Bodden, Gennie Dean, Dexter Knowles, Christerlina Fox-Francis, Etteloy Etteloy and Bridget Flowers. The final and grand prize winner was Kayette Symmonett d’Albenas who won an iPad in addition to the various gifts from the supporting sponsors.
Managing Director Mr. de Cardenas noted, “If someone got tested and found themselves with the beginning stages of cancer, and started treatment, then we are ALL winners! We will continue spreading the word, and will keep the truck out in the public eye as long as it continues to look good. Thanks again to everyone that sent their selfies, we truly are a beautiful country with beautiful people.”
Bahamas Waste Limited handles more than a third of all waste produced in New Providence each year, servicing more than 19,000 commercial and residential customers, and also provides special collection services to clients in Fresh Creek, Andros Bahamas Waste is committed to working together with our community towards a cleaner tomorrow.
Our primary business involves the leasing of compactors and containers and the collection and disposal of solid and wet waste; the collection, treatment and disposal of medical waste, and the recycling of cardboard and waste vegetable oil.
In New Providence, our fleet of more than 60 collections and service vehicles are out in the community seven days a week, starting in the early morning hours. Website: http://www.bahamaswaste.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahamas-Waste/419339604771785?fref=ts. Article courtesy http://www.bahamaslocal.com
