Biggest cancer fundraiser launched

SUVA – Wednesday, 05 June 2019. The Motibhai Group in partnership with Fiji Cancer Society has launched the thirteenth edition of the Bushells Fiji’s Biggest Morning Tea (BFBMT) initiative on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at their Walu Bay office in Suva.

Funds raised from the initiative which started way back in 2006 in a humble way has over the years helped thousands of cancer patients and also played a pivotal role in cancer awareness and advocacy.

Following the successful launch, this year’s campaign will be executed from June to September whereby various business houses and organisations across the country will work closely with the Fiji Cancer Society to host morning tea events to raise funds which will be directed towards the society’s efforts to support patients and also raise awareness on the disease.

“We are very excited with the launching of this year’s Bushells Fiji’s Biggest Moring Tea campaign and look forward to working closely with various companies and NGO’s that will be hosting their own events over a period of four-months,” Fiji Cancer Society chief executive officer Belinda Chan said.

“Every year funds raised from the morning tea events helps the society carry out its patient care and awareness activities and we thank the Motibhai Group for being a loyal partner for the past thirteen-years,” Ms Chan added.

She said the BFBMT has been the longest running and biggest cancer fundraising initiative in the country and every year participation from the various stakeholders is growing.
Motibhai Group marketing manager Abraham Gomes said the company will continue to support the Fiji Cancer Society in years to come.

“We have been a genuine partner for the last thirteen-years and our association with the society will carry on in future for a noble cause,” Mr Gomes said.

He said Bushells is a premium brand of tea which is distributed in the country by Motibhai Group and by teaming up with the Fiji Cancer Society, the brand has helped raise awareness and assisted in the patient care initiatives of thousands of cancer survivors over the years.

According to statistics revealed by the Fiji Cancer Society, an estimated 79% of deaths in Fiji are due to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and premature mortality from NCDs is rising.

Of these NCDs, cancers are the third leading cause of death behind cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Looking at these alarming statistics, fundraising events such as the Bushells Fiji’s Biggest Morning Tea is playing an important role in spreading cancer awareness and advocacy.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Cancer Society welcomes the move by the Fijian government to include cancer awareness in the school curriculum.

Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Honourable Rosy Akbar made the revelation earlier in March this year of her intentions to include cancer into the Fijian school curriculum’s Family Life Education (FLE).

“Currently we are so prescriptive in our curriculum services in Fiji because we are preparing children for exams,” she said in Nadi during a cancer awareness event.

“But we do have Family Life currently within our school systems and I intend to use that to ensure that we include awareness on any form of cancer and on all forms of diseases. And these little children can actually be our mouth pieces. They’re the ones who can take the information back home.”

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