The second installment of SMB Flicks will screen the award-winning film The Revenant. Guests will enjoy complimentary wine and a special selection of gourmet theatre treats prepared by Chef Gerald Rolle.
The SMB Care Foundation will host its second installment of SMB Flicks, a film fundraiser at The Island House Cinema with 100 percent of the proceeds raised earmarked to help underwrite the cost of colonoscopies for high-risk individuals in need.
The award-winning film "The Revenant" will be screened on Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for a donation of $75 and includes complimentary wine and a gourmet platter prepared by Chef Gerald Rolle.
Colon cancer is the third deadliest cancer in The Bahamas, yet it is almost 100 percent avoidable. A colonoscopy is considered one of the most effective cancer screening and prevention exams. During the procedure, a long, flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the rectum to inspect the inside of the colon. Colonoscopies help to save lives by detecting precancerous polyps that a physician can remove before the polyps become malignant.
The SMB Care Foundation has formed a relationship with the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) and a network of physicians to identify individuals in need of colonoscopies and to provide the financial assistance to enable them to receive the procedure. A colonoscopy typically costs hundreds in the public system and thousands if conducted by a private physician.
The Bruney family launched the SMB Care Foundation in 2013 to celebrate the life of their mother, Dr. Sharon M. Bascom-Bruney who passed away after a seven-and-a-half-year battle with the disease. The organization's primary aim is to eliminate colon cancer in The Bahamas.
"We understand firsthand how heart-wrenching colon cancer can be, not only for the diagnosed but for their loved ones as well," said Corey Bruney, president of the SMB Care Foundation and Dr. Sharon Bascom-Bruney's eldest child.
"That is why we started the SMB Care Foundation, to provide the extra support those suffering need so desperately, and to prevent other families from experiencing the loss we did."
Dr. Sharon Bascom-Bruney received her first colonoscopy at age 50, the recommended age to begin screenings at that time. She was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer -- the most aggressive form of the cancer at age 51. It is common for people with colon cancer to experience no symptoms in the earliest stages of the disease, which is why early screenings are important.
Physicians in The Bahamas now recommend regular screening beginning at age 45 as one of the best ways to prevent or detect colon cancer. Standard preventative measures such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and decreasing saturated fat and red meat intake help to prevent colon cancer.
Tickets to SMB Flicks can be purchased by calling 502-9407 or emailing info@smbcare.org.
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