Since ‘The Doctor’ Beenie Man went on his Instagram to rally support for breast cancer patient Pinky, the sister of his former spouse, ‘Dancehall Queen’ Carlene Smith, donations toward the cancer warrior’s medical bill have doubled.

The donations to a Real Helping Hands account hosted by Smith for her sister now stand at nearly US$4,000.

“We’re very thankful and we’re appealing for more help because the goal is US$50, 000,” the dancehall fashion icon told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Smith, who had previously shaved her head in solidarity with Pinky’s fight, has been a rock in the fight to save her sister’s life.

“Pinky has been improving steadily since last year. She did chemo, she did radiation last year, but it didn’t work and they sent her home. At the time, she was 93 pounds, but I did my research and did holistic treatments and she improved to 140 pounds. But I had to stop, I just couldn’t afford the treatments anymore because of the expense, and she started to get sick again.”

Pinky, who is battling stage four breast cancer which has progressed from her lymph nodes to her uterus, is keeping her spirits up. She returned home Friday after doing a surgery at the Windsor Wellness Centre to remove a chemotherapy port on Thursday.

“The port was left in after her chemo treatment last year but Dr Alfred Dawes was able to discover that the port area got infected and she did surgery to remove it. The team at the Windsor Wellness Centre was awesome, they made her very comfortable,” Smith said.

A chemo port is a small, implantable device which allows healthcare providers to draw blood and give treatments — including chemotherapy drugs — without a needle stick. A port can remain in place for weeks, months or even years.

Using his Instagram Story, Beenie Man started the ‘Pinky Initiative’, a campaign geared towards raising funds to help Pinky in her cancer fight.

“Now, Pinky is one of the first dancehall woman – one of because is Carlene’s sister (and Carlene) is the first dancehall queen. Anyway, she have cancer and we need fi save her, we can save her, but we need US$50,000. So, to all my fans and well-wishers, if you have a dollar or a $5, mi a tell yuh just send it,” he said.

Smith thanked Beenie for his support.

“Big up Beenie Man for always standing behind her financially and emotionally, he and Bounty Killer were present at her first fundraising concert and also Sizzla who contributed his talents for the second concert,” she said.

Smith also politely asked Internet trolls to desist from posting negative comments about Beenie Man.

“I am asking persons who have been leaving negative comments to stop. Beenie Man has his own life, if it doesn’t concern you, don’t comment…the comments are very disgusting. People have been saying why can’t so and so just pay it all, and I am asking you to stop bashing Beenie Man. He has been very supportive, I have blocked and deleted these people from my page, but they need to understand that people are hurting and they have families,” she said.

Smith and Pinky revolutionised dancehall fashion in the 1990s with their daring, flesh-baring designs and dancehall panache. Both Smith and Pinky appeared in several music videos for artistes including Beenie Man, Tiger, and the duo Chaka Demus and Pliers.

– Claude Mills