The money raised in the dozen years of Women’s Dive Day in Cayman, hosted by Divetech, has potentially saved the lives of up to 75 women, according to the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation.
Speaking at the 12th annual event at the dive operation’s Cobalt Coast site in West Bay on Saturday, 18 July, the foundation’s chief administrator Beverly Edgington thanked the scores of divers who took part in the fundraising dive.
She told the participants that one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
“Here is the Cayman Islands, we’re really lucky in the fact that we have an amazing awareness programme, but it’s privately funded. We get no government funding whatsoever,” she said.
“We have managed, in the last 15 years, to take breast cancer from 70% of diagnoses being at stage four to over 70% being stage one.”
She added, “We couldn’t have done that without people like Jo [Mikutowicz] and the Divetech team.”
Edgington noted that a mammogram costs $1,000, “so every $1,000 that Jo and her team have raised has saved one woman’s life”.
“I worked out that you could have saved between 60 to 75 women’s lives here in Cayman,” she told Mikutowicz.”
This year’s dive, in which 92 divers and 16 snorkellers and supporters took part, raised US$9,650, to which Divetech is adding the additional $350 to bring it to an even $10,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation, Mikutowicz said.
During the event, the snorkellers and divers took part in a treasure hunt for bright pink rocks that were placed in the sand or along the reef. Each rock has a number that corresponded to a prize donated by one of the many businesses on island that support Women’s Dive Day. Businesses also donated to the raffle at the event.
An ice bath at the event brought some extra funding, with participants paying a donation, the size of which depended on how long they could last in the freezing water.
Mikutowicz said, “At one point four women got in the ice bath and as they were sitting there, Beverley from the Breast Cancer Foundation said, ‘You’re paying for one mammogram by being in that for three minutes’.”
“We’re incredibly grateful for the amazing turnout and support we received for Women’s Dive Day,” Mikutowicz added. “It was inspiring to see so many people come together to dive, donate and support the Cayman Breast Cancer Foundation.
“A huge thank you goes to our dedicated Divetech staff, volunteers, sponsors, and every participant who made the day such a success. The generosity and community spirit on display were truly outstanding, and i’m proud to have been part of such a meaningful event.”
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