Thousands of cancer warriors take on 5km walk to raise awareness

PARKVIEW – Johannesburg Zoo played hosts to a fun-filled 5km walk, the first such, in celebration and in aid of those battling with cancer and their families.

Tshepiso Mametela

February 6, 2018

Breast cancer survivors, Rebecca Musi, Babalwa Quvane, Nosiphiwo Dumzele Jeanette Nkabinde and Nathi Molefe are content with their participation in the Cancer Warrior Walk.

In celebration of World Cancer Day, the inaugural One Step at a Time Cancer Warrior Walk took place at the Johannesburg Zoo, with thousands turning up for the landmark occasion.

“One Step at a Time is an initiative of the Breast Health Foundation [https://www.mybreast.org.za/] which began in 2016 when five breast cancer survivors summited Everest Base Camp,” Colleen Arend, project manager at Breast Health Foundation told the paper.

“We took on the expedition as a symbolic journey of how the human spirit can triumph over challenges. And with a cancer diagnosis, one really has to take everything one step at a time – every doctor’s appointment, every chemo treatment, every scan and screening …”

Speaking to three of the five breast cancer survivors who took on the challenge of climbing up Everest Base Camp before turning up for the One Step at a Time Cancer Warrior Walk on 4 February, sentiments around the importance of raising awareness and alleviating the stigma around cancer were echoed.

Thousands of participants crowd the walkway during the 5km Cancer Warrior Walk.

Participants take off at the start of the inaugural One Step at a Time Cancer Warrior Walk at Johannesburg Zoo.

Soso Thamae, who is in a five-year remission from breast cancer, said regular check-ups have aided in keeping the disease in check. “It’s a good thing to go for check-ups because you never know when the cancer is there or not. There is definitely life after breast cancer.”

Nqobile Mazibuko added that cancer is a disease that affects every person, whether directly or indirectly. She, however, said that there are obvious parallels between the event and any person’s battle with breast cancer.

“Walking and the slogan of taking it one step at a time is exactly what happens when you go through a cancer episode, during which time one should take it one step at a time while in the process of healing…”

An aerial shot shows the sheer number of people who partook in the first ever Cancer Warrior Walk event.

Refilwe Sedumedi, said, “Being diagnosed with breast cancer is quite a challenge, but one thing for sure is acceptance. Accepting what you are being told and asking God to intervene because we can’t do anything on our own.”

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Tell us if you participated in the event and what the experience was like by posting your comment on the Rosebank Killarney Facebook page.