Calm and mild overcast conditions helped draw a record crowd of 13239 walkers for the annual AlgoaFM Big Walk for Cancer, presented by the Eastern Cape Department of Health, on Saturday,
The beneficiary was the Cancer Association of South Africa.
The walk, out and back from the Boardwalk on the Port Elizabeth beachfront, was led by Eastern Cape MECs Ms Helen Sauls-August (Health), Pumza Dyantyi (Social Development) and Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Mongameli Bobani, as well as a contingent of Isuzu Southern Kings rugby players.
It took nearly an hour for the back markers to walk past the start line - while some of the faster walkers were already arriving back at The Boardwalk.
Helen Sauls-August fired off the starter's pistol. "As the Department of Health we are seeing an increase in the incidence of cancer," she said. "Too many people are being diagnosed too late and our support of the Big Walk is to encourage people to be tested early. Eighty to 90 per cent of the people coming to our clinics are women and children. We want to see more men at the clinics."
The MEC further appealed to the people of the Eastern Cape to change their lifestyle by eating healthy, exercising - and getting tested.
"This is the fourth year that AlgoaFM has partnered with the Eastern Cape Department of Health in an awareness programme which starts weeks ahead of the Big Walk with free clinics hosted around the province," said the Station's managing director Dave Tiltmann.
"The vibe at the Sun Boardwalk was just incredible," added AlgoaFM operations director Alfie Jay. "It is always a wake-up call to see how many people have been affected by cancer, either personally or through family and friends."
