San Pedro Cancer Society helping one patient at a time

Established in June of 2010, the San Pedro Cancer Society has been aiding cancer victims, one patient at a time. On Saturday September 27th, that generosity was shown once again when they hosted a food and pastry sale to assist yet another cancer patient on the island. $476 was handed over to Alicia Hernandez who is battling with cancer and must seek further medical attention abroad.
According to the San Pedro Cancer Society, their primary mode of assistance is by directing and guiding cancer patients to access medical attention in facilities in Belize. When necessary, a monetary donation is given to these patients.
In Belize, the cancer patients are referred to the Belize Cancer Center in the Stann Creek District. According to Miguel Perez, President of the San Pedro Cancer Society, they encourage cancer patients to make an initial assessment at this facility before venturing into accessing medical attention abroad. “The cancer center allows a payment plan for cancer patients. If you don’t have money, they won’t refuse treatment,” explained Perez. He commented that the most expensive part of cancer treatment is the surgeries and radiations which are only available abroad. Perez said that traveling expenses are also a challenge for their patients, since in most instances, cancer patients are unable to work during their cycles of chemotherapy, but must travel continuously.
As such, the San Pedro Cancer Society held a tamales and pastry sale to assist Hernandez as she will be travelling to Guatemala for radiation treatment. The event was held on Pescador Drive and a total of $476 was raised with the generous support of a few residents of San Pedro Town. An additional donation of $300 was handed to Hernandez through the assistance of the San Pedro Lions Club.
The San Pedro Cancer Society has indicated that the community can play an active role by becoming a member of the organization or by making donations to the organization. To find out how you can get involved in the San Pedro Cancer Society, you can contact Lucy Romero Munoz at (501) 621-6144 or Miguel Perez at (501) 600-2129.