MAY PEN, Clarendon — When Anna Kay Jeffrey, founder of the caregiving outfit Angel Wings Home Care and Nursing Services, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2014, the sheer cost of treatment left her in a state of shock.

As told by Cadine McLeod Davis, marketing manager for Angel Wings Home Care and Nursing Services, Jeffrey found that even though she was better off than most, her resources were “rapidly depleted” by costs associated with a multiplicity of medical specialists, tests and treatment.

That’s when Jeffrey — who is currently abroad — established Steps to Cure Cancer Foundation, which was formally registered in 2015 as a charity arm of her business to help cancer patients in any way possible.

Inevitably, Jeffrey found that she had to be dipping heavily into the earnings of her fledgling company — which focuses on providing home care for those in need, including the sick, elderly and children – to fund cancer-victim assistance programmes.

“What she (Jeffrey) does is that every three months she tries to help at least one cancer patient by whatever means necessary,” explained McLeod Davis, who is also event coordinator for the charity arm.

Such has been the cost burden, that executives of

Angel Wings Home Care and Nursing Services and Steps to Cure Cancer Foundation have been exploring ways to raise funds.

In late March, a walk/run event which was twinned to a health fair had only limited success in terms of fund-raising. Far too many business operators in May Pen and surrounding areas failed to respond, said McLeod Davis.

For all that, she said Member of Parliament for Clarendon Central Mike Henry was “a great help” in terms of material and motivational support.

She also had high praise for some businesses, training schools and health care agencies including the Best Dressed Chicken, Bethel Academy, Far-More Pharmacy, Cornerstore Pharmacy, Sai Medical Centre, Badazz Home Boys, and the Clarendon Health Department for their support.

Now, McLeod Davis says the fund-raising committee is contemplating other initiatives including a banquet “sometime in the near future” to find a way to help people fight cancer.

“It’s tough, but when you look at what people have to go through when they are fighting cancer, we know we have to find a way,” said McLeod Davis.

May Pen apart, offices of the Angel Wings Home Care and Nursing Services and the charity arm, Steps to Cure Cancer Foundation are in Kingston and Montego Bay.

In addition to assigning caregivers for home care duties, Angel Wings Home Care and Nursing Services also provides training for specific caregiving roles.