Ayrtons gives $300,000 to women undergoing breast-cancer treatment

Before breast cancer changed her life, Amanda Rochester spent her days caring for others. A hospital nurse who also worked weekends in home care, she was accustomed to helping patients through difficult moments. Today, she is navigating her own illness, drawing on faith, family and the support of others to endure.

Diagnosed at 32, Rochester is one of two women to receive $150,000 each from Ayrtons Distributors through its Glow for Strength initiative.

Naketa Campbell, a customer service representative diagnosed at 45, also received funding to assist with treatment and ongoing care.

The grants were presented at the Jamaica Reach to Recovery (JR2R) Pink Run, a fundraising event for breast-cancer survivors. The setting was apt: the contribution is intended to ease the financial strain of treatment.

The combined $300,000 donation continues a five-year initiative by Ayrtons to support women affected by breast cancer. Working with JR2R, the company identified Rochester and Campbell as beneficiaries.

For Rochester, whose cancer has spread to her bones, the assistance arrives amid challenges that have affected her health, finances and role as a mother.

“I have not been permanently employed for the past four years, and this has been emotionally and financially challenging,” she shared.

Pain and physical limitations forced her to leave nursing, including weekend work that supplemented her income and helped support her family.

“One of the hardest parts of this journey is not being able to work and provide for my son the way I would love to as a mother,” Rochester said.

The emotional burden has been compounded by the cost of managing her illness. Her treatment requires regular blood tests, cardiac assessments and dental examinations to monitor potential side-effects.

“This assistance will help relieve some of the financial stress and allow me to focus more on my health and well-being. It will also give me some much-needed peace of mind during this difficult time,” she explained.

Campbell, too, knows that a breast-cancer diagnosis extends beyond hospital visits. Her experience has involved coping with treatment side-effects while processing the emotional impact of the disease.

The donation will help cover expenses related to treatment, medication and ongoing testing. Such support provides practical relief amid the demands and uncertainties of care.

PURPOSE OF INITIATIVE

Their experiences reflect the purpose of the Glow for Strength initiative, according to Ayrtons Distributors Chief Executive Officer Simone Finlayson.

“Through our Glow for Strength initiative, we wanted to do more than raise awareness. We wanted to reach out and offer meaningful support to women who are going through this difficult journey,” Finlayson said.

“With the assistance of Jamaica Reach to Recovery, we are pleased to provide support to two women currently battling breast cancer.”

Finlayson acknowledged that the donation cannot remove every hardship. She hopes, however, that it will ease some of the women’s burdens and provide encouragement during treatment.

“If our gesture can bring a little comfort, encouragement, or hope to someone facing a difficult time, then it is truly worthwhile.”

The partnership with JR2R reinforces that commitment by providing support to women confronting the daily realities of breast cancer. For both beneficiaries, the assistance will help meet immediate costs while reminding them that others recognise the challenges they face.

For Rochester, moving forward means accepting each day as it comes.

“I have been taking things one day at a time, leaning on my faith, and finding the strength to keep going even on the hardest days,” she said.

As Campbell and Rochester continue treatment, Ayrtons’ contribution offers practical help with the expenses ahead. It also carries a message that Finlayson hopes will resonate with other women facing breast cancer.

“Our message to these women and others fighting breast cancer is simple: You are not alone, and we stand with you.”