BY RICARDO WELLS
SOME OF the best known radio DJs and personalities in the Bahamas will be getting an early morning soaking today as Radio House, home to 100Jamz, Cool96 and Y98FM, partner with the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation (BBCIF) for the ‘Dunking For Boobies’ event to help raise funds and promote breast cancer awareness month.
JJ McKenzie, Director of Promotions/Online Marketing at Radio House and Cool96 Morning Show host, expressed her delight that the event is geared towards a good cause – even though listeners might pledge enough money for her to be dunked.
“We are encouraging listeners and businesses to come down and make a donation to the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation and every $200 donated will get one of the announcers or DJs dunked,” she said yesterday. “We will have a dunking tank set up outside the entrance to Radio House on Shirley Street. 100Jamz, Cool 96, Y98 and Joy FM will all be broadcasting their morning shows live from Shirley Street from 6am to 10am.”
Ms McKenzie said that the partnership between Radio House and BBCIF is to help the fight to save lives. Quoting statistics, she said that the average age of women diagnosed with breast cancer is 42. “We want to remove the stigma and fear around the disease in a fun way,” Ms McKenzie added. Among the personalities facing a dip in the water tank are her Morning Show co-host Eric Hall, Anthony ‘AC” Coakley, Y98’s Morning Sickness Show presenter, and Special K, Lezz Boogie and Big Doobs of 100Jamz. Cool’s afternoon announcer Big Guy also will be dunked.
“The goal of BBCIF is a great one - they want to test every woman in the Bahamas. Testing and early detection saves lives. That is what we want to achieve through this event.” Health officials consider breast cancer as the second leading cause of death of women in the Bahamas, suggesting that stereotypes and cultural dynamics prevent adequate screening and early detection.
Doctor’s Hospital will be giving away free mammograms throughout this morning to callers and supporters of the individual radio shows. Jessica Robertson, the hospital’s Marketing Director, was enthusiastic: “It is a great idea. Any opportunity to promote early detection is a great idea. We had to make ourselves a part of this great event.”
She said that her company’s priority was to make the public more informed of the importance of mammograms, adding that women tend to be misinformed on the matter. “We will also have certified medical personnel present to explain the facts and myths of breast cancer and mammograms. Most women hear of mammograms and think pain and procedures. We want to explain the process surrounding mammograms, how it works, what is used. We want to dispel the myths and rumours.”
Ms Robertson said that Doctor’s Hospital will also be part of the fun, adding that CEO of the hospital, Charles Sealy, has volunteered to be soaked. “I heard about the event going on over at Radio House, was so intrigued by it, I jumped on board,” she said. “I circulated a memo discussing the event and Charles offered himself up as a candidate to be dunked. So I informed all of our employees of Charles’ declaration and told them we need to raise at least $200 to dunk him. I am hopeful that we surpass that number.”
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