One woman’s vow to help cancer patients in honour of her late grandfather

By Tracey Khan

CARING for cancer patients is something that brings a sense of fulfilment to Dr. Latoya Gooding who lost her grandfather,James Gooding, to prostate cancer a few years ago.
She was studying to be a doctor and now works in the Oncology Department of the Georgetown Hospital which is the only public institution that offers treatment and care for cancer patients in the country.

She continues to be the light at the end of the tunnel for many of her sick patients and their families, going above and beyond to ensure they receive the best care as they battle this deadly disease.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that at the time of her grandfather’s diagnosis, she believed that there was no proper treatment and care for cancer patients and not much was done to save his life or even ease his pain, so she dedicated her life to ensuring other patients do not suffer the same fate.

She feels so compelled to help prevent, treat and spread awareness of cancer that she is advancing her studies and knowledge in the field of Oncology. This is not without sacrifice because her ambitions separate her from her family most of the year as she pursues her Masters in Brazil.

Gooding is even more motivated to further her studies, after seeing how many women die from this disease due to late diagnosis which is often times curable. “[This happens] especially with breast and cervical cancer, so I started conducting free, monthly, cancer screening across Guyana,” she explained.

This proud resident of Bartica, Region Seven, is the fourth of seven siblings who credits her large family for her success. Her father, Franklyn Gooding, is her mentor and biggest supporter. “He was always there to support me. I can recall many nights studying for CXC, when I was up very late studying he was up just sitting there or sleeping in the chair as my company.”

ACADEMIC DREAMS

During her early years, she attended St. John the Baptist Primary School in Bartica, but left her hometown and her family to attend high school in the city.

As a student of Central High School, she was unsure of her place in the world but had a fair idea of what she wanted to do in life.

At age 17, she started working at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) but resigned after obtaining a scholarship to study medicine in Cuba.

She recalls how challenging it was when she shared her vision of wanting to specialise in the field of Oncology. “I was told no, there is no Oncology Department and that I was going to waste my time and potential; that I will only be seeing five to six patients per day since they are no patients,” she said. “I stood firm and said that I am not going into another department. I prefer to be in that department and help other departments as a way of seeing more patients and being useful. Today we have a very active Oncology Department with us, with the doctors attending to over 50 patients per day. ”

On her return, she continued working under the healthcare system but this time as a medical practitioner.

Dr. Gooding also founded the Giving Hope Foundation, an organisation that helps to raise awareness and funds for treatment for persons living with cancer. She is also a medical director of Beacon Foundation and the assistant franchise director of the Miss Earth Guyana pageant.

She is the perfect example of the quote, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Through her foundation, she has helped many families, including children who lost their parents to cancer to cope and adjust.

Asked what her accomplishments are she said, “My son and achieving my degree in Human Medicine at the age of 24 and founding my NGO at the age of 27,” she said. She also co-authored the anthology Women Across Borders.

Her hard work has been recognised by the Ministry of Public Health and she was awarded for her outstanding performance in the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) programme in 2017.

Her advice to a young girl who wants to pursue a similar career is, “If the dream is big, the facts don’t matter. It doesn’t matter where you come from, with hard work and determination you can achieve your dream.”

You may wonder what is next for such an ambitious and industrious young woman, she says, “To complete my masters in Oncology, followed by my PhD in Oncology and increasing the size of my family.”