Bermudians' generosity has been ‘heart-warming’

Susan Heard, director of partnerships for St Baldrick’s Foundation, was overwhelmed by the generosity of Bermudians.

Mrs Heard was in Bermuda to observe the St Baldrick’s events at Saltus Grammar School and BAA.

St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a childhood cancer charity funding research to help find cures for children with cancer. 

In 2008, her own son, David, was diagnosed with cancer.

She said:” For two years, it was an amazing run — vacations we never would have taken, conversations we never could have had, books shared that opened our minds, concerts attended, and wild kitchen dance parties. Fireworks, disco balls, glitter, and champagne (or root beer) toasts were part of our lives. We were life, and if we kept going, then David would stay with us here on Earth.”

David passed on but Mrs Heard hasn’t stopped being a warrior in the battle against childhood cancer.

Part of the reason Mrs Heard was in Bermuda was to find out more info about Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre.

“I was excited to come and I was practically excited to come down with our new partnership with Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. I thought it was important to get to meet everybody at Bermuda Cancer and Health and learn more about what they’re doing but also to have an opportunity to meet the key volunteers who really make all these events happen.

“I have been truly overwhelmed with the generosity, not only because I work for the Foundation, but I consider myself a volunteer and a fundraiser for my own events — trying to raise money is hard from anybody.

“I know Bermuda has been hit by a recession and that hurts. It hurts that some companies have moved off the island, it just makes me wonder at the generosity of the folks.

“But down here, where there is really no incentive (tax breaks) to give, I wonder why people do it? And yet, the money has been phenomenally overwhelming. Then the match from the companies is also so generous.

“This has been personally heart-warming.”

She said Saltus, which has seen $192,000 donated so far, will end up as one of the top 20 St Baldrick’s events in the world for 2014.

Ms Heard said: “Some of the top events will hit $300,000, some at $250,000 and they’re very close to $200,000 and I have a good feeling they’ll hit $200,000, which is phenomenal.”

Last year BAA was one of the top events in the world when it raised $300,000.

“It sort of flip-flopped this year but there are so many things that go into making an event really, really work.”