Young women turned out in their numbers for what was described as a “well deserving and educational” interactive youth forum at the St Ursula’s Community Church, Valley, Virgin Gorda on Friday November 1, 2013. The need for women to have PAP smears done from an early age took front page. Photo: VINO

According to the Coordinator for the Catholic Youth Envisionairs, Ms Deborah Bruce, she was overwhelmed at the level of interaction displayed by participants and the wealth of information shared by the facilitators at the youth interactive session on cancer. Photo: VINO

Participants of the Interactive Youth Forum on Virgin Gorda on November 1, 2013. Photo: VINO

The facilitators for the interactive youth session included Public Relations Officer of the BVI Cancer Society, Ms Stacy Lloyd. Photo: VINO

President (Ag.) of the BVI Cancer Society, Gloria Fahie addressing the audience. Photo: VINO

LIME continued the show of support for the BVI Cancer Society and had provided gift packages for the participants of the session. Photo: VINO

The session was attended by approximately fifty (50) persons, including young men who all exhibited a keen interest in issues surrounding the various forms of cancers. The facilitators for the session were the President (Ag.) of the BVI Cancer Society Gloria Fahie and Public Relations Officer Ms Stacy Lloyd.

According to the Coordinator for the Catholic Youth Envisionairs, Ms Deborah Bruce, she was overwhelmed at the level of interaction displayed by participants and the wealth of information shared by the facilitators.

“VG is left out of so many things most of the times and to have the BVI Cancer Society taking the time out to come over here and share with especially our youths was extremely wonderful. The youths participated to the maximum and I am sure with some amounts of reminders at intervals they will adapt to better health seeking behaviours,” said Ms Bruce.

‘Poor health seeking behaviours’ is one of the things the BVI Cancer Society is committed to effect a change, according to Ms Fahie. She said those youths who participated in the sessions, which went in excess of two hours, confirmed there is a greater need for more educational sessions.

“They asked a lot of questions. They were particularly desperate to know at what age women become vulnerable to cancer and that is why the topic of PAP smears and cervical cancer took centre stage because a lot of them are at a stage where they are sexually active,” said Ms Fahie.

She said the young men had shown much concern about their vulnerability to Breast Cancer and that the general audience sought information and clarity on other forms of cancers, including Lung Cancer. “What was most striking to them was the fact that they were concerned about non smokers being at risk of Lung Cancer despite they might not smoke one cigarette in their full life time,” said Ms Fahie.

Ms Bruce said because of the response of the youth to the session, they would seek to coordinate other sessions that speak to issues of importance to group members and those that surface as important to the general population of Virgin Gorda.

“We need these kind of sessions, education is never too much and no one knows everything. It is time that we push for more activities of this nature on Virgin Gorda and if it takes the Catholic Youth Envisionairs to lead in this regard we will,” she said.

Mention was made of Catholic youth moderators Ms Cathy-ann Bascombe and Ms Hyacinth Telemaque, who played an integral role in seeing the programme being realised.

The activity was held at a time when Breast Cancer Month was ushered out and Lung Cancer Month ushered in. The month of November is Lung Cancer Month and education surrounds its main cause- smoke.

“The work of the BVI Cancer Society and any other cancer society is not an easy task. We have to keep at it until a cure is found and even then we have a lot of work that would continue to be necessary because prevention is always better than chasing a cure,” concluded Ms Gloria Fahie.