LAST year October I joined the Health and Education Relief Organisation for Cancer (HEROC) in New York for their annual walk to heighten awareness of breast cancer. I interacted with many survivors including Patricia Langford Jordan and Priyadarshani Gordon. I admire both women and they have inspired many women who are dealing with breast cancer. HEROC must be commended for the work they are doing to raise funds and awareness in the diaspora and Guyana every year; I am proud to be one of the patrons of HEROC because of the difference they are making. The chairman of HEROC, Lorna Welshman Neblett and her team came for their annual mission and joined the Pinktober Walk. Lorna not only talks the talk but walks the walk and has done so for years and her leadership has brought a lot of credibility to the HEROC. She has personally assisted so many cancer victims, including Priyadarshani Gordon who is pictured in the photo of this article.

I decided to join the walk this year and I was impressed by the numbers and happy to see so many men coming out. My WHY for walking was the many people I know personally who are ill or who have lost their lives to cancer. I can never forget the day when I accompanied my now-deceased aunt Avis Gibson when she was told she had stage four cancer. Two months ago one of my good friends Juliet Stanton lost the battle to breast cancer. I would love people to go beyond the walk and don’t just join to take a pic for social media or something that will not contribute to the cause. I joined my friend Lorna for breakfast and we were discussing the walk and this is what she shared with me:

“The 2019 Strides for Breast Cancer Walk in Guyana was definitely a walk with a difference. This is my fourth year in Guyana and to my surprise, this one seems to be more commercialised. My feelings are not very complimentary and I would love to see this walk change for the real purpose and cause. All the striders gathered in the wee hours of the morning and it just impressed me that it was a reunion of friends and family. What is the focus of the walk? No one seemed to have the real purpose at heart. Along the route, there was the most inappropriate music; there was no chanting along the way.

Whatever happened to bringing awareness to the participants who are walking? There was no emphasis placed on the Survivors and Thrivers; no empathy was given or shown for the persons who are lost to this disease or the persons who are fighting the disease. I have been walking for many years out of Guyana and four years in Guyana and this is the first year that I have seen they have lost the focus. GTT, you need to get back to the drawing board and make this a walk with a purpose; all of your efforts need to be redirected to the Survivors and Thrivers. If people want to go to a picnic or sport, they should pack their bags and go elsewhere and not to the Strides Walk. Looking for better detail in 2020. I am here to support the fighters and honour the taken. Let’s get to the real focus and cause. I am suggesting the original chant for the walk, “EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES.” I am sure you will be sending the right message to the supporters.”

It is always good to get feedback because that is the only way we can better what we do.
I also saw this post on a young lady’s page that attracted lots of comments.

“Do entities/people know the purpose of a Cancer Awareness Walk? It’s surely not to have a ‘jump up’ at 06:00hrs in the morning. There are people going through millions of emotions while doing this walk — whether it’s the loss of several loved ones; currently going through the cancer battle; being the caregiver of a cancer patient or awaiting results of a biopsy. Please, let’s be respectful of people’s feelings and walk for the cause. Pinktober has taken on a different meaning.”

I must commend all the people who are making a positive difference in the lives of people as we continue to celebrate the beautiful journey called Life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.