‘Walk for the Cure’ to be held in October

The importance of finding a cure for cancer and the need for ongoing research to halt the devastating impact of this disease on the lives and livelihoods of millions of families across the globe, continues to find a voice through the 3,000-strong employee base of CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank and the social programmes of its parent company, CIBC.{{more}}

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is Canada’s largest single-day, volunteer-led fund-raising event, dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, health education and advocacy programs. Here in the region, CIBC FirstCaribbean has engaged the attention of all stakeholders in the fight against this disease with the staging of its annual, signature event, Walk for the Cure.

Both CIBC and CIBC FirstCaribbean have set the first week of October, 2014, to host their respective events, signalling their intention to continue the discourse on issues relating to cancer.

This is the third consecutive year the regional institution will be hosting the event that began as a tribute to the communities it serves, when it marked the occasion of its 10th anniversary in 2012. Since then, the event has grown from strength to strength by bringing together local cancer support services, other corporate entities and the public in general, as leading participants in fund-raising and walk activities in each country.

Since its inception in the Caribbean, close to US$150, 000 has been raised across the region for early detection and general education programmes, in an effort to provide greater awareness of this disease. This year, the bank will build on the partnership forged with local cancer organizations to continue to provide financials and other support to persons in the region affected by cancer.

Walk for the Cure continues to receive the endorsement of the bank’s chief executive officer Rik Parkhill and the senior executive team. It is again being hosted under the chairmanship of managing director, Human Resources Ella Hoyos and managing director, Customer Relationship Management and Strategy Trevor Torzsas. The two leaders recently presided over a regional kick-off meeting, which, already, has been followed by a number of early fund-raising events that will continue across the region during the summer months, right through until October 5.

As a signal of its unwavering commitment to the cause, the bank will be making a series of presentations of funds raised after the Walk to regional organizations at the forefront of the cancer fight in each territory.

The bank’s employees have committed to increasing their efforts to eclipse the amount of funds raised in previous years.