St Catherine Festival Queen 2026 turns personal loss into advocacy

After losing her mother to breast cancer in 2023, Allison Williams has been motivated to help other women and families better navigate the challenges of the disease. On Sunday, that mission gained a powerful new platform when the 27-year-old personal banking officer was crowned Miss St Catherine Festival Queen 2026.

 Williams, who also lost her grandmother to cancer, plans to use her reign to advance She Survives, a community project focused on cancer awareness, health literacy and women's empowerment.

 She represented R.A. Williams Distributors Limited in the competition and captured the title during an upbeat coronation showcase at Eltham High School in Spanish Town. She will now represent the parish at the national competition in August.

 Her aunt, Joan Neufville, echoed sentiments shared by family and friends present at the celebration, describing Williams as someone who approaches every challenge with purpose and confidence. 

 "Allison is a go-getter. She is driven. When she goes after something, don't you dare try to stop her. She's going to win. She's just a winner," Neufville said.

 That same determination is now driving Williams' proposed community project, She Survives, which seeks to increase cancer awareness, improve health literacy and empower women to take greater control of their health and financial well-being.

 The initiative, which operates under the theme ‘Prepare, Partner and Prosper’, is designed to address the interconnected challenges of late breast and cervical cancer detection, limited health literacy, financial vulnerability and restricted access to preventative healthcare among Jamaican women aged 18 to 35. For Williams, the project is more than a competition requirement. It is rooted in personal loss and the lessons she learned while caring for her mother.

"I painfully watched my mother fade away over the course of a year," Williams shared. "My life was affected financially and emotionally. As a result, I want women and families to be prepared [and] equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate these health challenges."

 Williams explained that the project recognises that cancer is not only a medical condition but also a life-altering event that can affect a family's finances, stability and emotional well-being.

 "The ‘Prepare’ component focuses on health and financial literacy, ensuring women are equipped with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. ‘Partner’ speaks to the importance of connection and access to support systems and available resources. ‘Prosper’ represents the outcome when women are informed, prepared and empowered to maintain stability and improve their quality of life," she explained of the theme.

 Through workshops and seminars hosted in churches, women's groups and youth organisations, She Survives will provide participants with information on cancer prevention, early detection, health management and financial preparedness. The programme will culminate in a community health fair in rural St Catherine, bringing essential services such as pap smears, mammograms and other health screenings directly to residents.

 While women's health advocacy remains a major focus of her platform, Williams also hopes to encourage greater civic participation among young people across the parish.

 "My hope for the young people of St Catherine is that they become active participants in national development rather than passive bystanders," she said. "I want them to get involved, show up, show out and make a difference in their communities."

 As she prepares for the national finals, Williams remains focused on ensuring that her reign is measured not only by the crown she wears but by the lives she impacts.

 "I am extremely grateful and humbled to have been conferred the title of Miss St Catherine Festival Queen," she said. "This platform gives me an opportunity to make a meaningful difference, and that is exactly what I intend to do."

 The coronation of parish queens continues on Saturday in Clarendon at Glenmuir High School in May Pen and in St James at the Black River Theatre at Iberostar Rose Hall. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. 

Miss Kingston and St Andrew Festival Queen will be crowned on Sunday at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, beginning at 7 p.m.

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