A charity is looking to raise $200 000 to help former manager of the Frank Collymore Hall, Francine Wickham-Jacobs, in her battle with cancer.
During a press conference yesterday at the Courtney Blackman Grande Salle
of the Tom Adams Financial Centre at Church Village, The City, Cynthia Ralston, a member of the What If It (WIFI) group, and a cousin of Wickham-Jacobs, widely known as Fran Wickham, said her relative had been full of life until she was diagnosed with Stage 3 myeloma cancer (a type of blood cancer that develops from plasma cells in the bone marrow).
Ralston said Wickham-Jacobs possessed several talents which included painting, adding she was a cultural officer at the National Cultural Foundation and managed the Frank Collymore Hall for close to 15 years. She was also bandleader of 1 Trini & A Bajan.
She said Wickham-Jacobs started complaining of back pain last October.
One of the founders of WIFI, Sade Leon-Slinger, announced there would be two benefit shows to raise the funds. The first, Dance And Jazz, is scheduled for Sunday, February 13, while the other, titled Spouge And Calypso, is set for February 19.
Both events will take place at the Hall and patrons will be asked to make contributions of at least $80.
Entertainers including Blood, Adrian Clarke, Alison Norville, Winston Farrell,
RPB, TC and Colin Spencer will be performing, as well as several dancers.
Patrons will have to show evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative 24-hour PCR test at the door. (SB)