Desiree Edghill, the Executive Director of Artistes in Direct Support, was last evening conferred with the Commonwealth Points of Light award for her work to raise awareness and educate persons about the Human Immunode-ficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Edghill was presented with the award at a ceremony at the residence of British High Commissioner Greg Quinn.
Before presenting Edghill with the award, Quinn explained that the Commonwealth Points of Light award is given to people in Commonwealth countries to recognise the work that they have done to support individuals and groups in society. He noted that Guyana had only one previous Points of Light awardee, making Edghill the second. He added that Edghill was “a very deserving winner.”
During her acceptance speech, Edghill stated that she was very shocked when she heard that she was a recipient of the award. She said that she didn’t believe it at first and had to find out if it was true. Further, she stated that if someone had told her in 2017 that she would be recognised for her work she would have never believed it.
She revealed that in 2017 she was diagnosed with myosarcoma and thought that she would have been dead by now. “I want to thank the almighty god and I have to thank him for being here. I am good to go and I beat it [myosarcoma] and it didn’t beat me,” she said before adding that her work is not finished and she will continue helping people.
Myosarcoma is cancer of the muscle tissues.
Edghill also thanked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has supported her organisation since 1999, as well as the members and staff and the people who gave her the opportunity to make a difference in their lives for the past 27 years.
