Group maps out breast cancer walk

ALL roads leading to the Cebu Business Park will be re-routed in time for the Moonwalk, an annual even held in observance of Breast Awareness Month this October.

Ronald delos Reyes, program coordinator of the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), said they expect 3,000 people to join the event to be held this Wednesday.

“Since Oct. 12 is a weekday, we would like to inform the public of a possible traffic congestion that might happen on that day from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.,” delos Reyes said.

The Moonwalk will assemble participants on the lot beside Pag-Ibig Fund Tower in Cebu Business Park at 5 p.m.

At 5:30 p.m., they will walk to The Walk restaurant in Asiatown I.T. Park, passing by Archbishop Reyes Avenue.

At the Asiatown I.T. Park, participants will form a pink human ribbon.

A short program and Pink Rock Concert will follow. The Moonwalk is open to the public.

Participants are encouraged to wear pink shirts.

The Moonwalk, RAFI’s advocacy campaign, is aimed at promoting monthly breast self-examination for women aged 20 years old and above.

“We hold Moonwalk during a full moon and Oct. 12 is when the moon is at its fullest this month. Full moon, because it is symbolically linked to the women,” delos Reyes said.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Cebuano women, based on the Cebu population-based Cancer Registry of RAFI.

From 1993 to 2007, Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of RAFI recorded 3,005 breast cancer cases in Metro Cebu.

“Most of the participants are cancer patients, women from the barangays, and the youth. We encourage everyone, from all walks of life, to join us in this year’s Moonwalk,” delos Reyes said. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus