Registration for the 2016 Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure® is officially open.
The event, which is now in its sixth year, will be held on January 16, 2017.
Lead sponsor and organizer, Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Ltd., held a launch party at the company’s Shirley Street location on Thursday to mark the occasion.
Company officials also unveiled its very first Komen Bahamas Anthem called, “Save The World (Race for the Cure)”. The song was created and donated by Visage Band Bahamas members, Wendi Lewis and Dyson Knight. Anwar McDonald helped to write the song and Frederick Seymour produced it.
Youth, Sports & Culture Minister, Dr. Daniel Johnson, beneficiaries and other attendees all came out for the launch.
Sunshine Insurance VP of Development, Dwayne Swaby said his company is proud to have the Komen race as part of its Sunshine Insurance Race Weekend (SIRW).
“For those of you who aren’t aware, it was former US Ambassador to The Bahamas, Ned Siegel, along with his wife, Stephanie who assisted us in getting the race series,” said Mr. Swaby.
“During Ambassador Siegel’s tenure here, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. While being treated, she was alarmed at the number of Bahamian women – particularly young women – who were plagued with breast cancer, so she decided to do something about it. She founded the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation, which is dedicated to genetic testing so that researchers can find out why our women are being plagued with the disease. We were fortunate to maintain our relationship with the Siegels and it was through their efforts with the BBCIF and our Race Weekend event that we secured the Komen series. Today, it remains an important event on many people’s calendars – locally and internationally.”
Willie Moss, a breast cancer survivor for more than 20 years and the honorary chairperson of Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure, stressed the severity of breast cancer in The Bahamas.
“While the statistics in the US are readily available, they are not as readily available here in The Bahamas. But, I can tell you that for every nine women in The Bahamas who have been diagnosed with breast cancer one man has been diagnosed with breast cancer. These are really startling statistics and that is something we really need to get a handle on it,” she said.
“The more that you participate, the more help we will have to assist those support groups, to purchase the kind of equipment that can provide us with the testing that we need, to set up the registries that we need, to educate the young people – especially our young women- because breast cancer in young women in The Bahamas is more prevalent than anywhere else in the world.”
President of Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group, Andrea Sweeting encouraged local residents to register for the event.
“We want you to know that you will make a difference, regardless of who you are and where you are, because once you register, you make it a point to help a woman who needs your assistance. We are thankful to Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure as well as Marathon Bahamas for everything they have done. Because of their help and assistance, anybody can be a part of this,” she said.
Dyson Knight of Visage, one of the creators of the new Komen Bahamas Anthem, said he felt privileged when approached to create the song.
“It was an honour and pleasure for Chakita and Rogan to contact me and say that they were interested in Visage creating a song. I felt encouraged by their attitudes. When they approached me, they were energized; they were ready to go to battle. As an artist, our job is to translate emotions into music and translate stories into lyrics in ways that people can understand. That’s what we wanted to do with this song,” he said.
Frederick Seymour, the song’s producer, said he was happy to be a part of the creative process.
“I definitely tried to evoke a feeling of hope and encouragement within the melodies and chords. We [wanted to give] encouragement to those battling and racing to win across that finish line,” he said.
Wendi Lewis, who leads off the upbeat, positive tune, boasted of the energy in the studio during the creation process.
“We were super excited. We were really racing for the cure as we were writing. Dyson was the one who got the call, so he tried to inject the same energy that he got from Rogan and Chakita that we needed to put that into this song. It’s a phenomenal song. This is the first time that we have a song like this for the Bahamas version of the Komen and I’m excited, I think we all are, to be a part of history. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
To register for Komen Bahamas, visit komenbahamas.org. Organizers are giving away a gift for every 25th person who registers online. Those who register by November 30th will also be eligible to win the grand prize – a dinner for four at Atlantis Paradise Island.
Front row (L-R) President of Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group, Andrea Sweeting; Honorary Chairperson of Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure®, Willie Moss and Sunshine Insurance VP of Development, Dwayne Swaby. Back row: Song producer, Frederick Seymour and Visage Band Bahamas singers, Wendi Lewis and Dyson Knight. (Photo/Rogan Smith)
(L-R) Visage Band Bahamas singers, Wendi Lewis and Dyson Knight; Youth, Sports & Culture Minister, Dr. Danny Johnson and producer, Frederick Seymour pose at the launch of the Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure® event on October 1.
