Emmarentia turns pink for cancer awareness

EMMARENTIA – The Avon Justine iThemba walkathon drew 35 000 people to walk for breast cancer awareness.

October 26, 2017

Roxy de Villiers 1 minute read

Chle Mange, Nceba Aphane and Vee Mange show off their outfits ahead of the 5km Avon Justine iThemba Walkathon startline.

Walkers, runners, survivors and their pets all took to turning the streets of Emmarentia pink for the 12th annual Avon Justine iThemba Walkathon.

It was an early and rainy morning for walkathon entrants on 22 October but when the weather cleared up, walkers were out in full force with pink tutus, wings and their pets.

KB and Khumo Morake with their dog Dreams.

From the early morning, messages found their way onto the Trees of Hope. The trees were put up at Marks Park, the walkathon venue, for participants to leave messages of hope for those diagnosed with cancer, those who lost the fight and those who have people with cancer in their lives.

Nathaniel Arnolds and Tevan Solomons show their solidarity for women and men with breast cancer.

This year about 35 000 walkers took part in the walkathon to raise awareness for breast cancer among men and women. The event is aimed at generating awareness about early detection and how it could save lives.

“The more women know about breast health, the easier it will be to detect any changes in their breasts,” said corporate communications, PR and events manager for Avon Justine, Vicky Saunders-Flaherty.

Women and men walk to the 5km Avon Justine iThemba Walkathon startline.

Other than raising awareness for breast cancer, Avon Justine iThemba raises funds to donate to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by selling iThemba products through Avon and Justine brochures. Through the sale of iThemba products, Avon Justine has raised R22 million which was donated to NGOs.

Once the 5km and 8km walks were completed, walkers were treated to live entertainment by Kaya FM and eTV.