February is cancer awareness month in more ways than one. World Cancer Day falls on the 4th, Valentine’s Day offers a natural moment to talk about self-care and prevention, and for CCA Seychelles, it has always been one of the busiest — and most meaningful — months in our calendar. This year was no different.
Here is what we got done.
World Cancer Day is observed globally on 4 February, and this year’s theme — United by Unique — cuts right to the heart of what cancer care actually demands. No two diagnoses are the same. No two patients experience the same fear, the same treatment, or the same road to recovery. Recognising that is not just good policy; it changes how care is delivered and how communities respond.
CCA Seychelles marked the day with a special Mass alongside patients, survivors, caregivers, and families. It was not a fundraiser or a formal event. It was an hour of acknowledgment — of sitting together and recognising that the people in that room were carrying something heavy, and that they did not have to carry it in isolation.
Following the service, we used the occasion to push the conversation further: encouraging open dialogue around cancer prevention in Seychelles, reducing the stigma and fear that still surrounds diagnosis in many communities, and reinforcing the message that early detection remains the most effective tool we have against cancer mortality. Across Seychelles, awareness of cancer screening options is still growing. Events like World Cancer Day give us a platform to reach people who may not have considered getting checked — and that reach has real consequences.
We are grateful to the Seychelles Catholic Church, SBC Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation, and Today in Seychelles for their coverage and support in helping these conversations travel beyond the room.
Prevention and early detection were the focus when CCA Seychelles, in partnership with the Ministry of Health Seychelles, organised a comprehensive cancer and health screening at the Anse Royale Health Centre on 14 February.
The numbers tell part of the story: 121 residents attended, accessing services ranging from cancer screenings and reproductive health consultations to dental checks, eye examinations, and urological assessments — all in a single day. For many, it was the first time they had accessed several of these services. For some, it may well have been life-changing.
Getting 121 people through the doors of a health screening on a public holiday takes more than a good idea. It takes an exceptional team. Ms. Pamela Dubignon and the Anse Royale Health Centre staff coordinated the day alongside 15 dedicated volunteers, with specialist support from Ms. Beryl Valentin, Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme Manager, and Urologist Dr. Rahim Lespoir. Dr. Murthy Clinic provided eye screening services. SBC Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation promoted the event in advance. Today in Seychelles covered it on the ground.
That kind of cross-sector collaboration — health professionals, media, community organisations, and volunteers working toward a single goal — is exactly what cancer prevention in Seychelles needs more of.
Two moments from the day stood out. Ms. Tessy Paul, 65, reflected that coming forward had quietly encouraged the women around her to do the same. And Ms. Athma Bandara spoke about what it meant simply to have these services available and within reach. Both responses point to the same truth: access matters, and so does the example one person sets for the next.
As our Chairperson Ms. Dinaz van der Lans put it — early detection saves lives. February proved that when you remove the barriers and bring the services to people, the community responds.
Alongside the awareness work and the health screening, February also held space for something lighter.
Through the sponsorship of Ms. Savita Parekh and Ms. Sona Parekh, owners of The Boardwalk Bar & Grill, CCA Seychelles hosted a Hope for Kids outing for 30 children. The day included lunch, board games, photographs, and stationery vouchers — a deliberately simple afternoon, and a genuinely good one.
The Hope for Kids programme exists because cancer does not only affect the person diagnosed. Children in affected families carry weight that is often invisible, and they deserve spaces that are built around them — not clinical, not formal, just warm and unhurried. The Boardwalk outing was that.
Ms. Savita Parekh and Ms. Sona Parekh gave those children an afternoon. That is worth saying plainly. Sponsorship in the community sector often gets bundled into a line of acknowledgements, but it deserves more than that. Their generosity funded something real, and the children felt it.
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally, and in Seychelles, the picture is consistent with regional patterns — late-stage diagnosis continues to be a challenge, and awareness of cancer risk factors and screening options remains uneven across communities.
That is the backdrop against which CCA Seychelles works. Every event we run, every screening we facilitate, every conversation we open up is in service of shifting that picture. Slowly, persistently, and with the help of partners and volunteers who give their time because they believe the work matters.
February 2026 did not solve cancer in Seychelles. But 121 people got screened who might not have otherwise. A community gathered on World Cancer Day and felt less alone in it. Thirty children had a day that reminded them they are cared for. These are not small things.
If February has shown you anything, let it be this: the most powerful thing any of us can do is show up.
Whether that means booking a cancer screening, volunteering your time, donating to support our programmes, or simply sharing this post with someone who needs to hear it — every action counts.
Book a cancer screening in Seychelles — contact your nearest health centre or reach out to CCA Seychelles directly to find out what services are available near you.
Support Hope for Kids — if you or your business would like to sponsor an outing or programme, we would welcome the conversation.
Stay connected — follow CCA Seychelles on Facebook for updates on upcoming events, awareness campaigns, and community news.
Cancer does not wait. Neither should we.