N.C.B. Foundation gives a lifeline to children combating cancer
26 Nov 2024
SickKids-Caribbean receives J$500,000 from NCBJ CEO
Kingston, Jamaica – November 26, 2024: Cancer is a battle no one should face, but for many children it is a reality. Bruce Bowen, CEO of National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCBJ), has chosen to support the SickKids-Caribbean Initiative (SCI) with a J$500,000 donation through N.C.B. Foundation’s Grant a Wish programme for 2024.
SCI is transforming paediatric cancer care across the region, training oncologists and funding life-saving treatments. Dr Michelle Reese Mills, one of Jamaica’s three paediatric oncologists, recalls a moving case at the handover ceremony: “I remember a child who couldn’t walk. After months of treatment, they took their first steps again. It’s moments like these that remind me why I do this work and why I choose to stay in my home country and support my community. SCI gave me the knowledge and the tools to change that child’s life.”
“Many families are faced with financial and logistical barriers to accessing treatment, but thanks to SCI, we can provide comprehensive care and treatments that were once out of reach for Caribbean communities,” Dr Reese Mills added.
SCI’s impact across the region is expansive. Since 2013, SCI has trained 41 nurses, conducted over 800 case consultations, completed 699 specialised diagnostic tests for patients diagnosed with leukaemia, and conducted 131,640 newborn sickle cell disease screening tests for babies. SCI works in partnership with the University of the West Indies, Ministries of health, and hospitals in Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Giving every child a fighting chance
"If you have one hundred children, how do you choose who gets treatment? You can’t. You shouldn’t have to. Every child deserves a chance at life. That’s what SCI provides—a fighting chance for every child,” said Bowen, who co-chairs SCI with his wife, Suzanne.
Bowen shared how SickKids Hospital (Canada) supported him as a child where he received care for a non-cancer-related medical visit where he received care. "I’ve seen firsthand the power of SickKids," he explains. "I always knew the value of their work, and over the years, through conversations with doctors from the University of the West Indies (UWI), it became clear that our Caribbean children could benefit from this level of care and expertise.”
"The Caribbean has been my home for many years, so this donation through N.C.B. Foundation’s Grant a Wish programme was a no-brainer,” said Bowen. “We want to do our part to ensure that the incredible work SCI is doing to treat children with cancer continues, and that more lives can be saved. This donation is just one piece of the puzzle. Together, we can ensure that every child in the Caribbean has access to the care they deserve.”
N.C.B. Foundation’s Grant a Wish programme, which continues to transform lives and communities across Jamaica. Now in its twelfth year, is granting J$15 million in wishes to individuals and organisations in need, creating opportunities for progress and growth.
N.C.B. Foundation invites the public to participate in the Grant a Wish programme by nominating deserving individuals or organisations at grantawish.jncb.com. The nomination and voting period closes on December 6, 2024.
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About the N.C.B. Foundation
Formalised in 2003, N.C.B. Foundation has since invested over J$2 billion in various programmes and strategic initiatives geared at education and community development across Jamaica, Haiti, St Vincent and Barbados. N.C.B. Foundation pursues its mandate of expanding Jamaica’s pool of digital producers, through the development and cultivation of future-fit digital talent and skills. While it supports numerous projects and initiatives throughout the year, its annual Grant a Wish and Scholarship and Grants programmes are highly anticipated and celebrated for their positive impact on the individuals, institutions and communities involved. For further information, visit www.jncb.com/csr
About N.C.B. Foundation’s Grant a Wish Programme
Each year, N.C.B. Foundation invites the public to nominate individuals or registered organisations they believe deserve a wish in the designated categories through our website, grantawish.jncb.com. To participate, simply submit a nomination and encourage votes for your selected nominee. Those with the highest votes in each category will receive a share of our prize fund. This year's nomination and voting period is open until Friday, December 6, 2024. We strongly encourage everyone to participate—nominate and vote for those you feel are most deserving. The prizes for the top-voted wishes in each category are as follows: 1st place winners will receive J$500,000; 2nd place will be awarded J$350,000, 3rd place will get J$200,000, and 4th and 5th place will receive J$100,000 respectively. For further information, visit grantawish.jncb.com
