ONE Communications, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Champions of Hope, has launched Pinktober 2026 with a renewed call for Guyanese to prioritise early cancer screening and continue the practice beyond the month of October.
The campaign, launched on Wednesday under the theme “Many Journeys, One Hope,” seeks to broaden the national conversation on cancer beyond breast cancer awareness and encourage greater use of available screening services.
Chief Executive Officer of One Communications, Abraham Smith, said the company’s focus this year is on moving cancer awareness from messaging to action by helping people understand where screening services are available and addressing factors that may cause them to delay seeking care.
“It’s not enough for us to tell someone, go get screened. We must also help them understand where screening is available, address the fear and uncertainty that cause people to delay seeking care, and wherever we can, we must help remove some of those practical barriers that stand in the way,” Smith said.
He said One Communications, through its partnership with the Ministry of Health, will seek to amplify information on available screening services and encourage more people to take advantage of them.
For almost a decade, Pinktober has brought together thousands of Guyanese around cancer awareness, prevention, support and solidarity. Smith said the company now wants to build on that mobilisation by encouraging more people to undergo screening and use health vouchers provided by the Ministry of Health.
While previous Pinktober campaigns placed strong emphasis on women and breast cancer, this year’s theme is intended to recognise the wider population affected by cancer.
Particular attention will be given to prostate cancer awareness and PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) testing, with men being encouraged to consult healthcare professionals, understand available services and take greater responsibility for their health.
Smith said cancer affects people regardless of age, gender or circumstances, noting that the campaign also seeks to recognise patients undergoing treatment, survivors, caregivers and families.
He stressed that cancer prevention and care cannot be confined to a single month.
“Pinktober doesn’t begin and end with a walk. It does not end in October, because cancer does not end in October. The screenings must continue. The appointments must continue. The treatments must continue,” Smith said.
He said One Communications has demonstrated its ability to mobilise thousands of people for its annual solidarity activities, but the challenge now is to translate that participation into increased screening.
“We want to move the message from beyond slogans to create actual behavioural changes,” Smith said.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, echoed the call for increased screening, urging the development of a national campaign to encourage more Guyanese to access available cancer screening services.
He also called for regional campaigns to reach people in areas where screening services are not readily available and facilitate their access to the nearest health facilities.
Anthony said the Government and the Ministry of Health are working to expand the structures and services needed to support cancer prevention, detection and treatment.
“We want to make sure that we bring hope, and from the ministry, from the government, I think we are putting the structures in place to make sure that hope stays alive,” Anthony said.
He added that individuals and communities also have a role to play by encouraging people to make use of services that are already available.
The Pinktober 2026 campaign, themed “Many Journeys, One Hope,” emphasises shared support for persons affected by cancer while promoting early detection, healthier lifestyles and continued access to screening and care.