Nassau, Bahamas, 1 October 2026 – Every Saturday this month, communities across The Bahamas will take steps in support of cancer patients and survivors as CIBC Caribbean’s Walk for the Cure returns to New Providence, Abaco, Eleuthera, and Grand Bahama.

CIBC Caribbean Head of Country, Terrance Gibson, said, “Each Saturday in October represents another community coming together, another opportunity to raise awareness and, most importantly, more support for the organizations that are doing this work every day.”

The month of activities begins this Saturday, October 3, in New Providence, with participants gathering at the Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre for a 6:30am start.

CIBC Caribbean Walk Champion, Antionette Fox, said the series of walks gives communities across the country an opportunity to contribute to a cause that directly supports Bahamian cancer organizations.

“Every Saturday for the month of October, there will be a walk that you can participate in to contribute towards this worthy cause,” Fox said.

In New Providence, the morning will extend beyond the walk itself, with Zumba, wellness activities, informational vendors, and opportunities for participants to connect with organizations working directly with cancer patients and survivors.

Gennie Dean Caring and Sharing Cancer Support Group President Duquesa Dean said participants do not have to complete the full route to be part of the morning.

“Just come out…there is something for everyone, come for the community,” Dean said. “There’s a survivor ceremony, so come and participate and celebrate the people who have gone through cancer and are here as evidence that you could live after a cancer diagnosis.”

The Gennie Dean Caring and Sharing Cancer Support Group is one of eight cancer organizations in The Bahamas that benefit from funds raised through Walk for the Cure. The others are the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Groups of New Providence and Grand Bahama, Cancer Society of The Bahamas, the Cancer Societies of Abaco, Eleuthera, and Grand Bahama, and the Cancer Association of Grand Bahama.

Dean explained that CIBC Caribbean covers the cost of staging WFTC, allowing donations raised to support the work of beneficiary organizations.

For her organization, that assistance translates into tangible support for people navigating cancer, including food assistance, financial aid, prosthetic breasts, and mastectomy bras, as well as programs such as Step Into Wellness, which promotes movement and healthy living among cancer patients and survivors.

Corporate partners are also helping to strengthen this year’s effort. Bamboo Shack has joined the initiative as a gold sponsor, with representative Ghandi Pinder sharing that the cause has a personal significance for her.

Pinder recalled shaving her hair in solidarity with her sister after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and began losing her hair during chemotherapy.

“We see you, we’re here with you, we’re in it with you,” Pinder said of Bamboo Shack’s message to those affected by cancer.

She also encouraged more of Corporate Bahamas to support initiatives that directly impact the communities they serve.

“At Bamboo Shack, we always say a better Bahamas begins with you… Together, we can make a difference,” she said.

Registration for Walk for the Cure is $30 for adults and $15 for children and can be completed at any CIBC Caribbean branch. CIBC Caribbean clients can also donate through online banking.

The New Providence Walk begins promptly at 6:30am on Saturday, October 3, at the Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre, followed by Walk for the Cure events in other islands each Saturday throughout October. The Grand Bahama WFTC event will be held on October 10 and the Abaco and Eleuthera WFTC events will occur on October 17 and October 24 respectively.

Gibson added, “Some will walk for themselves, some in celebration of a survivor, and others in memory of someone they have lost. Whatever brings you to Walk for the Cure, every person who shows up becomes part of a much bigger expression of support for those affected by cancer.”

TORONTO, Canada —Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell has reaffirmed The Bahamas’ support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the international effort to secure the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war.

Speaking at the two-day Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War, held in Toronto on September 28 and 29, Minister Mitchell thanked Canada, Norway and Ukraine for convening the conference and said The Bahamas was honoured to participate.

“I first want to add my thanks to Canada, Norway and Ukraine for convening this important conference,” Minister Mitchell said. “We are honoured to have been invited and to be here.”

Minister Mitchell said The Bahamas supported the position expressed by Antigua and Barbuda from the CARICOM Region, while also drawing on remarks delivered by Prime Minister Philip Davis at them United Nations.

He said The Bahamas’ own history made it impossible for the country to remain silent when them territorial integrity of another state is under attack.

“Just a couple of days ago, our Prime Minister spoke at the United Nations about a people with a history of struggle for identity, arising out of the struggle against slavery, and how we cannot be silent in the face of the attack on the territorial integrity of another state,” Minister Mitchell said.

He noted that Canada and other countries have stood alongside Caribbean nations as they confront their own regional challenges, including the situation in Haiti and difficulties facing Cuba.

“We are a region which is far away from Ukraine, but we identify with the struggle,” he said. “In this case, we want to be sure that our voices are heard in support of the defence of the territorial integrity and the people of Ukraine.”

Minister Mitchell said the principle of territorial integrity carries lessons well beyond the current conflict and deserves particular attention from smaller states.

“We think that the question of territorial integrity is a lesson for all to inwardly digest,” he said, adding that The Bahamas particularly appreciated Canada’s approach to its role as a “middle power” in international affairs.

The minister also reflected on the broader historical context surrounding Russia and Ukraine. Referring to a recent interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he encountered on social media, Mitchell described the discussion as an example of historical revisionism.

He recalled the days of writings and experiences of Soviet-era dissidents including Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Andrei Sakharov, as well as the struggles that took place during the Soviet period and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

Minister Mitchell said the historical interpretation presented in Putin’s remarks offered a markedly different account of those developments and placed responsibility for the situation in Ukraine on what Putin described as Western intellectual elites and their actions.

“That was very interesting,” he noted.

Drawing on the work of political scientist Samuel Huntington, Minister Mitchell suggested that political systems can retain characteristics of their predecessors even after major upheavals or revolutions.

“The Czar has been replaced, but what do we have today?” he asked. “A kind of pre-emptory, antidemocratic, autocratic behaviour attacking another state?”

Minister Mitchell concluded by reaffirming The Bahamas’ support for the objectives of the Toronto conference and calling for practical opportunities for the country to contribute.

“So I am, on behalf of The Bahamas, supporting the aims of this important conference,” he said. “Please assure us, or let us know, what practical ways we can help.”

He said The Bahamas’ participation itself was an important first step.

“We hope that, in this instance, the fact that we are here and that our voice has been added to this cause is at least a good start.”

Turks and Caicos Islands, September 29, 2026 – Beaches Turks and Caicos, the Sandals Foundation, and Great Shape Inc.’s iCare programme have completed a record-breaking one-week humanitarian eye care mission in Providenciales, delivering free optical services to more than 4,800 individuals. The 2026 venture brought together 52 volunteer eye care professionals from the United and Canada who provided comprehensive screenings, advanced laser treatments, and thousands of pairs of glasses to residents across the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The mission’s services covered multiple areas of eye health as medical volunteers conducted over 1,000 health screenings paired with educational sessions on eye care and the risks associated with prolonged screen use. Among the most significant clinical achievements were 122 Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) procedures, a treatment for open-angle glaucoma, and 13 panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) procedures, an outpatient laser therapy used to halt the growth of abnormal, fragile blood vessels on the retina that can cause bleeding and vision loss.

In addition to clinical interventions, the team distributed over 150 pre-made prescription glasses, more than 2,500 sunglasses, and over 1,400 reading glasses during the mission week. A further 700 custom prescription glasses are being completed and will be delivered to patients in the coming weeks. In addition to adults, students from 16 government and non-government schools throughout Providenciales also received vision testing and care.

Kyle Knowles, Minister of Health and Human Services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, praised the collaboration as “timely” and highlighted the unmatched visual support provided to the community. “We are grateful for this continued collaboration with the TCI government and the Sandals Foundation,” Knowles said. “We have seen where these eye care professionals come here and share their expertise with our schools and our communities, free of charge. This is what teamwork looks like here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Deryk Meany, General Manager of Beaches Turks and Caicos, noted the historic scale of the mission. “We have witnessed a record number of optical services being offered this year which augurs well for the people and children of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Meany said. “The support that the Sandals Foundation and Great Shape Inc.! has received from the government of the TCI is phenomenal. As an organization, we are conscious of the support that is needed and the opportunities that we have to share in this mission.”

Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture emphasized the value of early screening for students in an era of increasing digital device use. “To be able to provide early screening for our students is priceless,” Taylor said. “With the consistent use of gadgets by our children, the health screening and education is timely for us within the education ministry. We are grateful for this support from the Sandals Foundation and the Great Shape team. If there are challenges identified by the team, parents will be able to provide the necessary care for the children.”

For Nadienne Crossman, vice principal of the BEST Institute, the competence and warmth of the volunteer team was a highlight. “The services provided by these professionals was unmatched,” Crossman noted. “The team who visited our school allowed every student to feel comfortable while they were being tested. As teachers, when we got to the community site, we were treated with respect by everyone. To be able to see multiple specialists free of charge was outstanding. Sandals Foundation and the Great Shape team provided a safe space for us to care for our eyes.”

Steven Stern, Founder of iCare, credited the enthusiasm of volunteers and the seamless support from local partners. “The team for this project was enthusiastic with every client that we saw,” Stern said. “They were creative in using technology to assist with translation while they also learned so much about the TCI culture. The support from the Sandals Foundation and the government of the TCI was simply magical. We are looking forward to returning already.”

The Sandals Foundation coordinates logistics and covers costs for transportation, food, and beverages for the iCare clinic and its teams, while Beaches Resorts provides accommodation free of charge. The close of the 2026 mission stands as a testament to the power of cross-sector collaboration — uniting government, hospitality, and nonprofit expertise to safeguard vision and opportunity for an entire community.