What better way to commemorate World Cancer Day on 4 February than to participate in the first annual One Step at a Time Cancer Warrior Walk to be held at the Johannesburg Zoo?
Dr Johan Pretorius, the chief executive officer of healthcare company Universal Healthcare challenged other Gauteng-based companies and citizens to show their support for the Cancer Warrior Walk, which is being hosted by the Breast Health Foundation.
“Enter a company team to see if you can compete with the Universal walking team, or join us for the fun, scenic 5km walk through the Zoo,” says Dr Pretorius.
“It is for a great cause, with World Cancer Day being an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about this disease,” he points out. “Participants will also be honouring the country’s ‘Cancer Warriors’, or those who are battling, or have battled, cancer.”
Participants should be sure to visit the event Wellness Village where there will be food trucks and a raffle draw, as well as the Universal stand where you will be able to have a soothing shoulder or hand massage. The Universal fitness experts will answer any fitness-related questions visitors may have, and host exercise demonstrations and challenges on the day.
“In accordance with our highly pro-active approach to health, Universal will in addition be providing health risk assessments to all event participants. These assessments will include blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol screenings, and Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference measurements. So if you want to gain an overall idea of how your health is looking right now, be sure to visit our special health stand,” advises Dr Pretorius.
Josua Joubert, chief executive officer and principal officer of CompCare Wellness Medical Scheme, another prominent sponsor of the event, says that the walk is an excellent opportunity for the people of Johannesburg to express their support for World Cancer Day, the Cancer Warriors, as well as for the Breast Health Foundation.
“Cancer is a condition that impacts the lives of so many South Africans, and a number of our scheme members as well,” noted Joubert. “We wanted to get involved in this event to show our support to the brave warriors who are fighting this condition, which we believe needs to be confronted at all possible levels of society.
“This new annual event organised by the Breast Health Foundation brings together those who are affected by the condition, as well as their supporters, and enables them to not only engage in a healthy, life-affirming activity such as walking, but also to see that they are not alone in their fight against cancer, and that there is help and support available.”
Joubert says that in addition to providing sponsorship to the event, CompCare is also entering a walking team that is “up for the challenge and likely to be extremely difficult to beat on the day”.
The Breast Health Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established in April 2002 in partnership with several companies and organisations to educate the public on breast cancer and breast health, and increase awareness of the disease. The Foundation is a member of the Cancer Alliance.
The One Step at a Time Cancer Warrior Walk will be held between 7.30am and 1pm on Sunday 4 February at the Johannesburg Zoo on Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkview. Gates open 6am. A R100 fee is payable per participant, which will be used to support the Breast Health Foundation. Tickets can be purchased through Quicket via the following web link: https://qkt.io/NrkCep.
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