Northern Cancer Support Group, Portsmouth, Dominica
Posted onAuthor Dr. Zhanas Baimagambet MD, MPH, EMBA candidate, PhD Doctoral Researcher (in Anatomical Pathology), Anatomical Pathologist.
Sometimes you need to step outside hospitals and laboratories to remember why you chose medicine. Over the course of many Saturday visits to the Portsmouth market, I kept hearing about the Northern Cancer Support Group. Eventually, I had the opportunity to visit. What I found was not a large institution or a formal medical facility. It was something more essential — people giving time, attention, and presence to those navigating cancer.
I met Cynthia Joseph, who leads the centre in Portsmouth. In conversation, she mentioned that she had once been a patient of Dr. Desmond O. N. McIntyre, a physician whose contribution to shaping primary health care in Dominica I had recently encountered in historical accounts. In that moment, history, medicine, and lived experience seemed to converge quietly in one place.
I listened to stories — not statistics, not case summaries — but real narratives of resilience, fear, hope, and community. The support offered here is practical and human. It is deeply respectful. It reminds us that oncology is not only protocols and pathology reports; it is continuity, family, and dignity.
I am grateful to have become a member of the Northern Cancer Support Group. For me, this is not simply affiliation. It is a commitment to remain connected to patients and families beyond clinic walls, to learn from community-led care, and to contribute where possible.
Recently, we had another productive meeting with Cynthia Joseph regarding ongoing initiatives connected to the Dominica Cancer Centre. Their work continues to make a meaningful impact. I hope more members of our community become aware of their mission and feel encouraged to support it. I would also like to highlight the upcoming World Cancer Day Mass at Canefield Church on February 1st, 2026 — an important moment of reflection and solidarity.
Alongside Arianna Justice, I had the opportunity to participate in the vendor fair for new students at the American Canadian School of Medicine, introducing them to the work of the Northern Cancer Support Group. Our setup was modest. The goal was simple: awareness.
We spoke with incoming students about community engagement, about seeing health care beyond lecture halls, and about understanding the ecosystem in which medicine truly operates. This felt like a small beginning of something larger — a bridge between academic medicine and community service.
I would like to express sincere appreciation to AJ (Arianna) Justice. Her communication skills, organizational clarity, and genuine warmth made meaningful dialogue possible. Events like this depend not on scale, but on intention.
This visit reminded me of something fundamental: behind every biopsy, every diagnosis, every treatment plan, there is a person, a family, and a community. And sometimes the most important learning happens outside the hospital.
