Kristin Jones
HCC Volunteer/Intern Profile
Country: Barbados
Intern/Student: Student Intern
Dates with the HCC: 04-09-2015 to 31-12-2015
Name of school/college: London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine
Programme at school/college: MSc Public Health – Health Promotion Stream.
How did you find out about the HCC: I learnt about the HCC’s work through my professional network.
Projects: I assisted with writing letters to Heads of Government across the Caribbean region urging them to prioritise cervical cancer prevention and control.
The letters presented the case for universal access to cervical cancer screening since 95% of cervical cancer cases can be prevented. This call to action was supported by the results of the first ever Caribbean wide Cervical Cancer Electronic Petition which amassed over 18,000 signatures from males and females across the Caribbean. The letters also highlighted the activities of regional cancer NGOs and underscored the HCC’s commitment to partnership with the public sector and cancer societies to end cervical cancer in this region.
I also collated background information on Health in All Policies in in Barbados.
Primary outputs: Letters to Caribbean Heads of Government on Cervical Cancer Electronic-petition results.
How was your experience at the HCC: It was a fantastic developmental experience. It increased my understanding and awareness of public health issues in the Caribbean and allowed me to participate in strategic efforts to reduce the chronic disease burden. It afforded me an opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in my MSc. within a real-world scenario. During my assignment and subsequent interactions, I found the HCC leadership to be professional, highly driven and a pleasure to work with. It was invigorating to learn first-hand of the numerous activities and partnerships of the HCC across the globe.
Future plans: I am keen on gaining of professional experience in planning, delivery and evaluation of NCD prevention programmes.
I believe success in this area is underpinned by multisectoral collaboration. In this vein, my work has investigated the development of a model for multisectoral partnership in workplace health promotion. I also plan to explore the place of social marketing in NCD prevention and control. Wherever my journey may lead, I seek to blend my experiences of partnership with civil society, the public sector and private sector across the Caribbean with evidence based action and foreign language skills, to reduce the NCD burden.
