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Bahamian Rhodes Scholar Leads the Way in Caribbean Future-Health Innovation

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#Nassau, July 2, 2018 – Bahamas -The HEALinc Enterprise (HEALinc), an innovation incubator led by founder and CEO, Dr. Desiree Cox, hosted its first annual “Future-Health” Hackathon with a HEALinc-University of Central Florida iCORPS event to kick off the six-week (plus) future-health entrepreneurship educational program. This unique, immersive experience, which was held from May 11 – 14 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas, brought together entrepreneurs, postgraduates, thought leaders and faculty from the Bahamas and the United States who are pioneering the design of innovative healthcare technologies. The event was held in partnership with the University of Central Florida (UCF), led by Dr. David Metcalf and Dr. Tom O’Neal, and the National Science Foundation (iCorps) and included three days of exploration, networking and collaboration to help this talented group accelerate the progress and commercialization of their healthcare projects.

“The global healthcare industry is moving faster than ever, and the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Latin America are falling behind,” said Dr. Cox. “Through fast-paced, all-encompassing events like this one, we’re cultivating a spirit of enterprise and crowd-collaboration among creatives and developers from our region whose ideas might never come to life without proper mentorship, access to resources, and support.”  During the boot-camp style cruise, the participants were exposed to the key aspects of building a start-up including leadership skills, design-thinking, business-model canvas development, finding the ‘product-market’ fit of their innovation, serial prototyping, and more.

“Our goal at HEALinc is to activate 1 billion healthcare creatives by 2028,” Dr. Cox continued, “and from the level of imagination and talent that we saw on display during the Hackathon cruise, we’re off to an incredible start.”

The Future-Health Hackathon begins with a 6-week intensive program with University of Central Florida (UCF)-iCORPs being the main HEALinc educational curriculum partners.  HEALinc participants join students and entrepreneurs from all over the world based at UCF-iCORPs during this period to develop their prototypes and refine pitches for investors as they seek to obtain seed funding for their start-ups.  The 6-week intensive is followed by a 48-hour HEALinc-IBM ‘Tech Hack’ where successful entrepreneurial leaders come together with developers to build out an app or tech component of their prototype.  Finally, entrepreneurial leads will have an opportunity to launch their Start-Ups at the 2018 inaugural HEALinc GlobalFuture-Health Innovation Summit, which will be held in The Bahamas, 7th-9th October. (www.healincfuturehealthsummit.com)

 

Release: HEALinc Enterprise

Photo Caption: Dr. Desiree Cox (third from left), the first Bahamian Rhodes Scholar and CEO & Founder of The Healinc., groomed entrepreneurs and tech talent during the 2018 Healinc Future-Health Hackathon cruise including Jamaican-American medical student Brittney Eason and Bahamians Robin Lightbourne and Mike Fountain.

 

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Desiree Cox                                                                                       Maya Nottage

Tel: (242) 376-2511                                                                                Tel: (242) 808-9783

Email: dr.desireecox@gmail.com                                                        Email: mayanottage@gmail.com

 

The HEALinc Enterprise (HEALinc) is a one-of-a-kind future-health innovation incubator focused on the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region of the Americas. We are the Y combinator for the Caribbean and the future-health innovation testing laboratory for the world. Based in Nassau, Bahamas, we are empowering creatives, tech talent, researchers, health intrapreneurs, and entrepreneurs from LAC countries and diaspora communities to create the future of our region’s health. Our network brings together top talent, thought leaders, developers and the best-of-the-best in future health forecasting and tech to help start-ups and Small Growing Businesses (SGBs) bring paradigm-shifting innovation to life.  Our goal is to create a movement of 1 billion Healthcare Creatives by 2028. Learn more about how we are creating the future of healthcare at www.theHEALinc.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Get your laugh on, March On, family drama by Gea Pierre, debut this weekend in Turks and Caicos 

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale again this weekend, the show debuts Friday night.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew where shows are set for Brayton Hall, for Friday May 10 at 8pm and Saturday has two showings; matinee at 4pm and evening, 8pm.

Tickets are $75 VIP. General admission is $60.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attentattention.

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. The full team returns on Friday, May 10 with the comedy production being held under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stop laughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

 

 

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The Bahamas Successfully Hosts Its Fourth World Athletics Relays

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NASSAU, Bahamas – Hundreds of people from around the world turned out in full force for the BTC World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 that took place at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, May 4 -5, 2024.

This is the sixth edition of the relays and the fourth time that The Bahamas has hosted the event, which actually made its debut in The Bahamas in 2014.

President, World Athletics, Sabastian Coe said after three very successful editions from 2014 to 2017, the World Athletics Relays has quickly become one of the World Athletics vibrant competitions, developing a culture of fun and innovation that gives it a unique flavour.

 

He thanked the Bahamas Government, the local World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 committee and the Bahamian people for agreeing to host the relays.  However, his main thanks were to the “world’s best sprinters” travelling from all the continents to compete in preparation for the road to Paris, France, in two months’ time.

During the opening ceremony, the athletes were given words of advice from Carl Lewis, one of only four Olympic athletes to have won nine Olympic gold medals, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

 

He said, “Keep it simple, do not try to do anything extra.  Do what your coaches said.  Leave on time, leave on time, leave on time.”

The athletes and crowds were treated to the sounds and sights of Junkanoo at the end of the opening ceremony.  The Junkanoo performers stuck around for the two days of competitions, playing for the sprinters as they competed on the track.

Teams competed in the Women’s and men’s 4x100m, and the women’s men’s and mixed 4x400m.  A total of 14 teams at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 automatically qualified  for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.   Both days of competition were important, as day two offered another chance for qualifications for those teams unsuccessful on day one.

In fact, The Bahamas was able to take advantage of the second day of competition.

Bahamians were made proud as the country set a new national record during the mixed 4x400m relays thanks to the efforts of 16-year-old Shania Adderley, a student of Tabernacle Baptist Academy.

The team came first in their heat on Sunday evening after not being able to gain a spot for the Paris Olympics on the first day of competition.

Other sprinters on the team included Alonzo Russell, as well as Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

(BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)

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PM at World Relays 2024 Opening: ‘Tonight, the eyes are on The Bahamas’

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his remarks at the Opening Ceremony for the World Athletics Relays 2024, on May 4, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis welcomed the special guests, athletes,  officials, and “all lovers of athletics from around the world” to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium here in the “vibrant heart” of Nassau, Bahamas.

“This weekend, the world’s finest athletes gather on our shores to embark on a journey that is not only about speed and strength but also about dreams and determination,” Prime Minister Davis said.  “From the serene beauty of our islands to the historic grandeur of Paris, this event marks a crucial path to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.”

He added: “Here in The Bahamas, we are no strangers to world-class athletics or the warmth and exuberance that such international gatherings bring. It is a distinct honor to once again welcome the World Athletics Relays back to our islands. This event holds a special place in our hearts, symbolizing a bridge between nations brought together by the universal language of sport.”

Prime Minister Davis noted that that year’s theme, “Paradise to Paris,” captured the essence of that journey.

“It is here, amidst the splendor of our sun-kissed beaches and the rhythmic sway of our palms that the chase towards Olympic glory begins anew,” he stated.  “We are thrilled to offer a backdrop of unparalleled beauty, where every sprint, every baton pass, and every victory lap is set against the picture-perfect canvas of our islands.”

 

He added: “To our athletes, I say this: as you stand on the precipice of your dreams, ready to catapult yourself into the annals of history, know that you are part of a legacy of excellence and determination. This weekend, you are not only competitors but also ambassadors of your countries and the spirit of sport. We are especially proud of Team Bahamas, who carry the weight of their performance and the hopes and pride of our nation. You embody the spirit of The Bahamian people, and we are behind you every step of the way.”

Prime Minister said that to the international visitors, he extended “the warmest Bahamian welcome”.

 

“Over the next few days, as you revel in the thrill of competition, take a moment to bask in the beauty of our island,” he stated.  “Discover why we proudly say, “It’s Better in The Bahamas.” Whether it’s the hospitality of our people, the tranquility of our waters, or the rhythm of our culture, you are in for an experience that captures the heart and rejuvenates the soul.”

“Let us celebrate the unity and friendship that sports foster, cheering every athlete and savoring the spectacle of human potential at its best,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “I hope the races are swift, the results are inspiring, and the memories are lasting.

“Welcome to The Bahamas, the paradise where champions chase their dreams to Paris.  As your host, it is my immense pleasure to declare the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 2024 officially open.  Let the games begin.”

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