Telethon raises over 150,000 for Cancer Society

Mon, Jun 1st 2015, 12:57 AM

The Cancer Society of The Bahamas yesterday raised more than $150,000 in a nationally-televised telethon at the Atlantis resort. Although the charity did not reach its $1 million goal, officials said it was a tremendous success.

Bahamians from many fields and backgrounds manned the phones as a lineup of Bahamian entertainers created a festive atmosphere.

Politicians from the three main political parties, religious leaders, business leaders, civic leaders, web shop operators, media personalities and retirees were among those who donated their time to the cause.

Lovern Wildgoose, president of the Cancer Society, said last night people were still calling and texting in pledges.

"So we still have some running around to do tomorrow (Monday)," she said. "Our thing for this year is to get our name out more. The Cancer Society has been around for 39 years, but many people still don't know (about us), and so we said this year we really needed to get our name out, which means our PR really had to be very strong.

"I think this is the beginning of our strong PR; the word has gotten out."

The Cancer Society hopes to eventually raise $3 million to expand the Cancer Caring Centre, which opened in 2005 off Collins Avenue with 10 rooms. The organization wants to add another 16 rooms and a hospice care centre.

"For the first telethon, we were really pleased. We were happy and pleased to see all of the media out, all of the people who supported us to make it a success," Wildgoose said.

Sue Roberts, who founded the Cancer Society in 1976, said she was blown away by the telethon's success.

"I felt so excited by it," Roberts told The Nassau Guardian. "It was phenomenal, the people who came out to support us, the musicians, the brass band, the singers, the people who manned the telephones. These are busy people. Maybe Sunday afternoon was a good idea to get busy people. It really filled my heart with joy and I am on a real high."

Speaking about the cross-section of people who supported the event through pledges and through donating their time, Wildgoose said, "I think it just sums up what cancer does. It doesn't have any political side, no color, no age; it affects us all. Cancer can hit us all. I was so amazed by the people who came and gave their time. I feel that we are on the right track."

Diane Phillips & Associates organized the telethon.

"We had the most incredible partnerships with all of the media houses who donated their time; four hours of broadcasting on ZNS, Cable 12 and JCN," Diane Phillips said. "All of the entertainers donated their time -- Visage, KB, Freddie Munnings Jr., Urvan Moxey, Bahama Brass Band and Tabernacle Concert Choir.

"There was Seahorse Face Painting, and people gave so much because cancer touches so many lives."

Phillips thanked Atlantis for donating the space as well as 15 telephone lines. She said the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) provided a Family Island line. BTC CEO Leon Williams was among those who answered the phone calls and recorded the pledges.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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