Thousands Take a Walk Against Cancer
Over five thousand persons put on their walking shoes and trekked the nine-mile walk from Ladyville to Belize City in the annual Cancer Walk. Saturday’s walk saw families and friends of persons afflicted by cancer join in the efforts to build awareness about the disease. It is also the biggest event to raise funds for the Cancer Society through the sale of t-shirts and the crowd did not disappoint. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
As early as three-thirty a.m., residents made their way to the cutoff to Price Barracks in Ladyville for the 2017 Cancer Walk. Thousands of persons gathered to take on the nine-mile hike to Belize City in support of persons afflicted with cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death in the country. Senior Administrator at the Belize Cancer Society says that it was yet another successful walk.
Heather Reneau
Heather Reneau, Senior Administrator, Belize Cancer Society
“Mein that crowd was massive. We were so excited when we saw people out there—shirts without shirts, anybody, but you came out. Thank you so much. This is a dual purpose walk. We create the awareness, we sensitize the community, we walk, we exercise together and also we make funds off of our shirts. So if you weren’t able to purchase your shirt this year, kindly get one next year.”
Cancer doesn’t affect only one race; it affects many faces. And persons of all ages, including families, athletes, professionals – they all put on their workout gears and came out in support of the worthy cause. Most, if not all participants, have or known someone who has been affected with the disease.
Lindsay Hulse
Lindsay Hulse, Participant, Cancer Walk
“I participate ina di Cancer Walk every year because I have a few friends and family that suffer from cancer and last year it hit home real hard. So this year I anticipate wah lee more harder with a little more enthusiasm.”
Duane Moody
“How is it for you this morning, because it is actually really cool?”
Lindsay Hulse
“It’s nice. The first year it is so nice like this. It noh humid; it just cool and nice breeze. In fact, this morning when we wake up, we mi think it mi wah rain. And we still got up and reach out. And it shows the level of respect people have for the Cancer Walk cause look how much people still come out even though it look like it mi wah rain.”
Keiron Paulino
Keiron Paulino, Participant, Cancer Walk
“I’ve always been supportive of the cause so every year I try make it a show and just come out and support.”
Duane Moody
“Yo gwen all the way?”
Keiron Paulino
“All the way.”
Cancer Survivor Isabel Trapp says that the experience is overwhelming because many times, patients simply need that support to fight the disease.
Isabel Trapp
Isabel Trapp, Cancer Survivor
“Oh my gosh, it is amazing. It is amazing. I mean dah like, yo neva think that people would actually get out of their bed like this early fi come out but they do and yo look back and yo go like wow and yo look dah front and yo go like wow. It is good feeling Duane; it’s a very good feeling.”
Duane Moody
“As a survivor, talk to us about your experience and support that you had during your time?”
Isabel Trapp
“I would not have much recollection of it, but from what I have been told, it was a struggle before and after the surgery. But I think I have put it all behind me now. I have put it all behind me now. And I just wish that people get tested early.”
….and getting tested early as well as exercising is what the Belize Cancer Society is trying to get Belizeans to practice.
Heather Reneau
“Today we are promoting your healthy lifestyle activity. So we are showing you that a little walk can take you a long way. Even though you are doing it with a bunch of friends today, when you are home, take a little half an hour walk, a little twenty minutes walk down the block. Make sure you are eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, drinking a lot of water. So these are the types of things that we are telling people to adapt—adapt a healthy lifestyle. It reduces your cancer burden, your diabetes burden, your renal failure.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
