GTT donates to cancer fight

Last Updated on Saturday, 2 March 2019, 10:35 by Writer

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company on Friday donated GYD$300,000 to members of the Giving Hope Foundation – Guyana at its Telephone House, Brickdam.

The company said the assistance is part of GTT’s 2018 Pinktober payout to several cancer organisations.

Vice-President of the Giving Hope Foundation (GHF), Kirtley Williams expressed gratitude and noted the money will go towards aiding the younger cancer patients and cancer survivors. “We do appreciate this because we have children who are in need; so I must say a special thank you to Mr. Nedd and the GTT company. I am happy that Pinktober has not forgotten childhood cancer,” Williams was quoted as saying in a company statement.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTT, Justin Nedd reminded everyone that while Pinktober started with a focus on breast cancer, the initiative has broadened its concentration on all types of cancer beginning in 2018.

Nedd was also quoted as saying in the GTT statement that “we are happy that we are able to help you in this form. Though it is a start, we will continue to drive the Pinktober initiative with the assistance of our sponsors to make it greater every year as we aim to educate the public on cancer and assist the cancer society.”

In October 2018, GTT hosted its Pinktober calendar of activities which was aimed at raising funds for several cancer-related organisations including the Giving Hope Foundation. The initiative which was aimed at increasing awareness of breast cancer and pushing for more action to be taken in the fight against the disease accumulated some GYD$11 million last October.

Approximately 8,000 persons participated in the October 2018 walk/run event as a way of showing their support to cancer victims.

Last year the CEO revealed that the company has plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Public Health to beef up the Oncology Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where persons suffering from the disease can be treated.

GTT promises that its Pinktober 2019 events will be more interesting as plans are underway to introduce new activities.