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Lindeners walk to promote Breast cancer awareness
Lindeners took to the streets early yesterday to raise awareness of breast cancer as Breast Cancer Awareness month came to an end.
The walk commenced at the Linden Utility Services Cooperative Society Limited (LUSCSL) on Burnham Drive, Wismar and ended on Republic Avenue, Mackenzie at the Georgetown/ Mackenzie Bus Park.
It was the fifteenth annual breast cancer awareness walk organized by Women on the Move. For some persons, participating in the walk every year is a must.
One such person is Juliet Alexander, a former Mashramani Queen, whose mother succumbed to cervical cancer at the relatively young age of 47.
With a wistful look on her face Ms. Alexander confessed. “I’m now approaching my fiftieth, but I can tell you when I was approaching 47, I was so fearful- I suddenly developed this fear that what happened to my mother could happen to me! Being the only girl in a family of three, only served to exacerbate her fears.
“My mother’s death really broke us up- I especially became very anxious.”
She however concedes that the one good thing that her mother’s death has taught her, is to never take her own health for granted.
Judy Gravesande Noel right Founder member of Women on the Move and participants preparing for the walk
Juliet Alexander holds up a photo of her mom, who succumbed to cancer
Alexander said that she has been participating in the cancer awareness walk from its inception, and even won a trophy one year. However her main concern in participating in the walk is about raising awareness.
Alexander said she takes a VIA cervical cancer test every six months, does pap smears and has also done a mammogram.
Yesterday’s walk and the sizeable crowd it attracted told a story of a community with a higher level of consciousness, regarding their own health as well as that of their loved ones.
Attracting participants of every age group between seven to 70 and over, the crowd was a mix of men, women and children, and included persons from various organizations including the UDFA, the Linden Hospital Complex, Republic Bank Staff, and several teachers and housewives. Winners in the different categories received trophies.
Coordinator and founder member of Women on the Move, Judy Gravesande Noel, said that this year’s walk was the best so far.
“This year it was the biggest and by far the best, and I first of all must thank God for yet another successful walk. I’m overwhelmed by the participation. We also have to thank the people that helped to make this possible yet another year; those are the persons that contributed tangibly, like Bosai, B.Harry Lumber Yard and Cozab’s to name a few.”
Noel, on reflecting on the genesis of the walk in Linden, said that she was inspired to do it after participating in a similar event in Georgetown.
She also named some of the persons in Linden that succumbed to cancer including Pastor Hazel Alleyne who died recently and Samuel Barker.
Former member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon, a senior executive of the UDFA and President of the group Virtuous women on a Mission, said that she was very pleased with the turnout and to also be a part of the walk. Kissoon alluded to the health of women being of paramount importance as it can affect the entire family, and by extension the community. “Healthy women produce healthy babies and so we can have a healthy nation.” Kissoon thanked Impressions of Georgetown for designing the banners.
Medex Charles-Quimby applauded the cancer awareness initiative and said that people are becoming more health conscious.
Quimby advised that girls should start going for VIA as soon as they become sexually active regardless of their age. “Some of them come to us and they ask questions, so we are encouraging them to continue to do so. We don’t go from 15 to 49 anymore; as soon as you start having sex, if you start from ten we advise you to come; feel free.”
Quimby said that persons are now seeking treatment earlier. She noted that if adequate treatment is not available in Linden, patients are referred to Georgetown.
On a scale of one to ten, Quimby said that she would say that awareness is eight out of ten, thanks to the Cancer Awareness Walk over the years.
(Enid Joaquin)
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