26/11/2025
๐ฆ๐ง. ๐๐ข๐๐กโ๐ฆ, ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ด๐๐ฎ, ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฑ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ โ The Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) today received a significant donation of EC $202,500 from the CIBC ComTrust Foundation, marking a major step toward the purchase of a new mammogram machine that will strengthen breast cancer screening and early detection in Antigua & Barbuda.
The presentation took place at SLBMC, where representatives from the hospital, CIBC Caribbean, and the Ministry of Health celebrated the partnership and its long-term impact on national healthcare.
๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ. ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ-๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ expressed deep gratitude, emphasizing the life-changing reach of the donation.
โCollaboration truly is priceless when it comes to meeting our mission as a hospital. In Antigua, we have more than 49,000 women who, at some point in their lives, will benefit from this new mammogram machine. And we must also remember our men who, though fewer in number, come to us with symptoms and will benefit as well.
What CIBC has done here today will touch lives not only now, but for generations to come. This is the real power of publicโprivate partnership. If we want to transform healthcare in this country, we can only do it together.
On behalf of the hospital, and on behalf of every family whose loved one will be helped by this gift, we say thank you.โ
Speaking on behalf of CIBC Caribbean, ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐-๐ช๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐, ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ, ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ด๐๐ฎ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, highlighted why the bank felt compelled to support the cause.
โWhen the hospital approached us, we knew immediately that we had to respond in a meaningful way. Supporting this request aligns not only with our mission, but with our deep commitment to strengthening healthcare access for the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
Corporate social responsibility isnโt a checkbox for usโitโs part of who we are. Here at home, the CIBC name has become closely tied to Walk for the Cure and to the wider fight against cancer, because we believe every community deserves the best chance at early detection and treatment.
We want to acknowledge the medical and administrative teams at SLBMC for the tireless, often unseen work they continue to do on the frontlines of cancer care. And we reaffirm CIBC Caribbeanโs commitment to standing with youโbecause when we collaborate, we strengthen not just systems, but lives.โ
๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต, ๐ช๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ป๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ต, also underscored the significance of the donation within the context of the nationโs healthcare system.
โHealthcare is a complex issue. Antigua and Barbuda made the decision many years ago that we would have socialized medicine and that no one should be left behind. When you adopt that policy, you also take on significant responsibilities and burdens. For example, the total assets of this hospital amount to roughly $25 millionโand those assets must be maintained and eventually replaced. Your generosity today has helped to shoulder some of that burden.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and myself, we extend our sincere and lasting gratitude for your generosity.โ
๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด & ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ฎ ๐๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฝ, noted that CIBCโs support is not newโbut its consistency and impact continue to deepen.
โCIBC has been supporting the hospital for more than a decade, and theyโve become the kind of partners who always ask, โHow can we help?โ Their long-standing commitment to cancer care has made a real difference year after year.
We often remind those who give that countless worthy causes existโyet they chose us. And for that we are truly grateful.
This year, our PINKparty campaign raised nearly $90,000โthe most weโve ever raisedโwith one goal in mind: purchasing a new mammogram machine. Today, because of CIBCโs generosity, that goal becomes a reality.
A hospital is only as strong as the people who work within itโand the people who believe in and support that work.โ
The CIBC Walk for the Cure activities continue with Raffle for the Cure which will be drawn on November 30th, and the formal handover of funds raised during the Walk for the Cure campaign will take place on World Cancer Day, February 4, 2026.
The acquisition of the new mammogram machine will significantly enhance the hospital's mission of strengthening early detection and timely intervention for breast cancer. This is crucial as breast cancer accounts for a significant portion of cancer cases diagnosed among women in Antigua & Barbuda.
