Latest update June 12th, 2025 12:50 AM
Latest News
- Canadian firm sitting on 44 sq. km with 5.4M ounces ‘buys out’ surrounding properties, now controls 71 sq. km
- Israel kills 120 Palestinians across Gaza in 24 hours, death toll surpasses 55,000
- GMIN eyes LNG from GTE project for Oko West gold mine
- Adriana to be laid to rest on June 22
- Government warned over Guyanese entering, living in US illegally
Toucan Industries donates $1M for cancer fight
Toucan Industries through its local Hunt’s tomato-based products is helping to prevent the spread of cancer and provide assistance to those diagnosed.
The company on Thursday donated $1M to the Periwinkle Club to continue their efforts in cancer awareness, providing food hampers, engaging cancer patients in counseling sessions and financing scans.
Andrea King, Marketing Assistant of Toucan Industries (fourth from right) and team present the $1M cheque to the Periwinkle Club.
According to Penny Layne, Chairperson of Welfare Committee of the Periwinkle Club, and Registrar for the Guyana Cancer Registry, the organisation is a non-profit organization financed by contributions from corporate Guyana and Association for Allied Nurses Abroad.
The Periwinkle Club, which has been in operation for the past five years, started as a breast cancer support group and has now grown to include other types of cancers affecting both men and women. It provides support to patients and their families.
According to Layne, whenever persons seek assistance, the Welfare Committee investigates and if treatment is required at the Cancer Institute, the club pays for it.
Layne emphasised that sensitization is an integral part of the club’s programmes but acknowledged that cancer is still taboo to many persons. To expand its reach, the club will be conducting sensitization exercises in populated communities, including Central Georgetown.
Still, many persons after receiving their diagnosis are unaware as to what steps should be taken. The club offers counseling sessions free of cost at its Albert Street, Georgetown office. It is funded and furnished by the Association for Allied Nurses Abroad – a group of nurses from Canada, England and America. There is a trained counselor who conducts sessions via appointments.
The club also works in conjunction with the Beacon Foundation. The trained nurses in palliative care handle that aspect. Last year, Toucan Industries donated $1M and from this amount, clients attached to the Beacon Foundation and members of the club received food hampers.
Ten persons have since been identified and will receive food hampers every other month through the Hunt’s funds.
According to Andrea King, Marketing Assistant of Toucan Industries, which is the local agent or Hunt’s, it was asked last year to assist locally in raising awareness of cancer in Guyana.
She noted that investigations found that the Periwinkle Club has been doing a lot more in the area of cancer. It was decided that a percentage of the profit will be donated to the club.
For this year’s promotion during the month of October, in various supermarkets including Bounty, Ram’s, Nigel’s, Survival, Choke Gas Station, LBI, customers buying four of Hunt’s products will be helping to see a portion of that sale going to the Periwinkle Club.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Is there a looming crackdown on Guyanese migrants?
Kaieteur News – The diplomatic note arrived quietly, but its message rang loudly: the United States government has... more
UN Security Council Fails Ukraine, Gaza and the World
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- When Russian drones stalk civilians along Ukraine’s Dnipro River and Gaza’s hospitals... more
Weekend Cartoon
