High tea at Amoa promotes cancer awareness in Savai’i

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi In Savai’i 21 October 2017, 12:00AM

The beautiful Amoa Resort in Savaii was all pretty in pink yesterday morning when their Pinktober High Tea Fundraiser kicked off to a fabulous start.

The event was organized to  raise funds in support of families suffering hardship in the fight against cancer and also to raise awareness amongst Savaiians about getting checked early to help prevent spread of cancer.

All too often, cancer victims find out the cause of illness when it is too late but always there is hope when the community come together to find solutions and provide support.

The occasion was a High Tea fundraising event organised by Amoa Resort at Si’ufaga, the Samoa Cancer Society, Miss Samoa Alumni and E.M.D.

Attendees heard from three guest speakers, breast cancer survivor, Bella Lemisio from Upolu, who spoke about her brush with cancer and how it changed her life in regards to altering her lifestyle habits such as eating healthily and exercising more.

She urged other women to put their health first before anything even as their roles as mothers and career women demand so much of them.

Lagomauitumua Vena Laititi Ah-Hi was another guest speaker who recently returned from Wellington to live in his ancestral home of Auala and is living with prostate cancer. 

He spoke candidly about the need for men to change their attitude of indifference and be proactive in seeking a diagnosis early despite hesitations over privacy and also general fear of the unknown.

He spoke openly about having to live with a disability and also the reality of everyday pain and the numerous costly visits of chemotherapy and radiation over the last three years that impacted his family and work life 

Finally Dr Nola Gidlow, a doctor in Savai’i who provides cancer patients with medical help and support, spoke about preventative measures and the need for everyone to educate themselves. 

While there is always the possibility of death, Dr Gidlow said there is also hope when cancer is caught early.

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi In Savai’i 21 October 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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