May 6th, 2011

Reigning Soca Monarch Machel Montano and reggae superstar Maxi Priest will be headline acts at the second annual Beat Breast Cancer Music Festival hosted by Basia Foundation.

The event, which is scheduled to take place on June 26 at Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, will also feature performances from Fay-Ann Lyons, Bunji Garlin, 3 Canal, Kevin Lyttle and many more.

During a media launch at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, on Tuesday, vice president of Basia Foundation Alicia Powell said, "We started a network and support group in October 2009 for women diagnosed with breast cancer and, on October 31, 2010, we hosted along with First Citizens the first ever Beat Breast Cancer Music Festival in the Caribbean."

"Despite the successful execution of the event the inclement weather on the day prevented us from achieving our overall objective of attaining a fund for PET/CT scans," she said.
This year Basia Foundation expanded its cause to support all women in various aspects of their lives and launched the "Basia for Life" campaign that supports single mothers with children in inner city areas with food and clothing.

The Basia for Life campaign also introduced the colour purple to its colour scheme to raise the awareness of prostate cancer and to represent the men in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2009, Alicia Powell, aka Miss Basia, talk show host of The Basia Show, was diagnosed with breast cancer and through her experience launched the Basia Survivor Network to encourage and support other women battling with this disease.

Powell said, "At Basia Survivor Network our members receive spiritual and emotional support along with healthy gourmet meals that are prepared by me and another team member. Our members receive full funding whenever funding is available. They receive branded clothing. They have access to advice from very qualified life coaches like Occah Seapaul, yoga instructors like Karen Stollymeyer, top fashion designers like Meiling and Claudia Pegus. Special thanks to Meiling for providing free consultations to every single woman that joins our network. We go as far as to take groceries to our members or pay for a doctor's visit in cases where their health prevents them from providing for themselves."

"I was recently told by a UN Development Consultant, that development work is divided into various categories, and these are policy, community service, financial support etc. She then asked me why I was trying to do all. She suggested that I choose one area or else I will be drained. I am still trying to decide on the area that I am best suited for. Every week a new woman or two is diagnosed and they reach out to us for assistance and guidance so it is difficult to turn our back on community service, every day you see people who need a PET/Scan but can't afford to go abroad for it, so it is difficult to turn our back on the financial side. So with the support of the general public we will be able to attain our fund this year," she said.

According to Powell, Janelle Penny Commisisiong Chow donated a cheque for TT$5,700. The cost for a member to go to Miami, USA, for a PET/CT scan is TT$10,000 This covers the scan, doctor's visit and airfare, she said.

She urged the public to wear pink, purple or white at the Beat Breast Cancer Music Festival next month to represent the cause.

Tickets prices begin at $250 general admission and $600 for all inclusive and will be available at Bmobile outlets, Stetchers, Sports and Games and SuperPharm outlets.

All proceeds from this event go towards the Basia Foundation as a means of providing PET/CT scan and reconstructive surgeries for its members.

In September of this year, Basia Foundation will also launch its centre for early childhood and autistic children.

According to Powell it will provide three full scholarships for single mothers with autistic children between the ages of 2-5 years old