Walk for breast cancer awareness gathers thousands

CEBU, Philippines – Thousands in Cebu wore pink last Saturday as they joined the “Mega Moonwalk,” an activity campaigning for early screening and detection of breast cancer through monthly self-examination and mammography.

The Mega MoonWalk is one of the several activities organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. for the month of October, which is breast cancer awareness month.

Ronald delos Reyes, program coordinator of RAFI.-Eduardo J. Aboitiz  Cancer Center, said that women as early as 20 years old should undergo monthly self-breast examination and mammography as one of the ways to detect early signs of the said disease.

Delos Reyes said that with 657 deaths or 49 percent of the 1,349 cases recorded in 2003-2007, breast cancer has been identified by the Cebu population-based Cancer Registry of RAFI-EJACC as the leading cause of death among Cebuano women.

"We find it important to protect the women's health," delos Reyes said.

Breast cancer survivor Ann Georgia Solante shared to the participants her battle against breast cancer and how her family, children and friends gave her the support she needed to survive.

Movie actor Tirso Cruz III, a lung cancer survivor, also narrated his journey towards a cancer-free life. —/ATO (FREEMAN)