A tribute to my sister

Affected by personal loss due to cancer, one woman vows to spread awareness of the disease

In memory of her sister who lost her battle to cervical cancer, Jacqueline Marshall is resolute in her efforts to educate others on the disease and the benefits of early detection.

In April 2016, Jacqueline started The Anciee Shondel Marshall Cancer Awareness Foundation in honour of her loving sister, Anciee Shondel Marshall.

“The Foundation is in memory of my (our) beloved sister, daughter, mother, friend who passed away on March 10, 2016 due to cervical cancer. Shondel died with a lot of unanswered questions pertaining to this disease. Actually, she wasn’t aware of it until three weeks prior to her death. That is why my mission is to spread awareness on cancer, encourage others to educate themselves on this disease, make necessary lifestyle changes, and, most importantly, early detection,” Jacqueline said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.
Jacqueline added that cancer took “a big chunk” out of her life due to the loss of her sister. She pointed out that her “beef” (fight) against cancer will be an ongoing one. Through social media, Jacqueline strives to reach a wide cross-section of people to spread awareness on cancer. She uses every opportunity presented to her to speak to people on preventative methods and to comfort families “affected or afflicted by the disease”.

“It doesn’t matter what type of cancer it is; cancer attacks from any angle, so I’ll fight from any angle! I take comfort in knowing Shondel knew we loved her. She was a beauty inside out and a very genuine person. She was very ambitious and hardworking. Her fight with cancer was a silent and short one. She put up a great fight until she couldn’t anymore. Shondel went beyond and above for the people she cared about. That is why this foundation is my way of saying to her and all those who are dealing with cancer that I will fight on in whatever small or large way,” Jacqueline declared.
Jacqueline said she is focused on getting certified teams of counsellors to help families deal with the consequences of this disease. The Foundation’s plans also include increasing the volume of awareness campaigns throughout the region.
“I have a lot more planned; they’re baby steps in reaching my goals, but I’m going to keep fighting the good fight for my sister and all those affected by cancer,” she avowed.
Anciee Shondel Marshall is survived by her two children: Nicholas, 16, and Chastain, 7 years old. According to Jacqueline, Nicholas lives with his grandmother (Jacqueline and Shondel’s mother), and Chastain lives with her dad.
“We try to get them to spend time together as much as possible, because it still is very hard on both of them having lost their mom at such a young age. I had the privilege of spending six weeks with them, and it’s clear that Chastain needs that motherly attention. However, I must give credit to her dad for all that he’s doing as a single parent for his daughter. Nicholas’s dad also plays his part. This is the very reason I would like to have the Foundation get to a point where it can assist children who have lost a parent or parents to cancer. I’m happy now with the relationship I have with the kids and their fathers. At the end of the day I want to fulfil my sister’s dying wish “to take care of her babies”,” the doting sister disclosed.
For more information on how you can help Jacqueline’s fight against cancer, visit The Anicee Shondel Marshall Cancer Awareness Foundation on Facebook.