6th Moonwalk opens Pink October

CEBU, Philippines - Thousands of women and nursing students in Cebu joined the 6th “Moonwalk: A walk against breast cancer” organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.-Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center in support of the women suffering from breast cancer in the country.

Ronald de los Reyes, program coordinator of the EJACC, said that the event will raise awareness among women in the country on breast cancer and incidence that continues to add up.

“According to the 1998-2002 Metro Cebu Population-based Cancer Registry, one of RAFI-EJACC’s major projects in its research component, breast cancer is the cancer found to affect most Cebuanas as well as the cancer with highest mortality rate.

The trend also shows that it remains to be the number one in cancer incidence and mortality among the women in Cebu today.

The cancer registry is the third internationally accredited population-based registry in the Philippines and the only one in the Visayas, and connected with the International Agency for Research and Center.

The best way to stop this alarming break in breast cancer is through prevention. Awareness of this cancer at its early stage has been found to have led to survival, if not cure.

Early detection is done via a monthly breast exam and regular mammogram.

The sixth run of the Moonwalk is in collaboration with the Kahayag Network, Cebu Breast Association, Cebu Cancer Fight, CAN with God, I Can Serve Foundation, Destiny Medical Fund, and is in cooperation with the Cebu City government, the Department of Health-7, and the Cancer Network of Cebu. Sponsors are the Cebu Business Park, Asiatown IT Park, Bayer Philippines, Inc.; High Precision Diagnostics, and Redido Trading.

Started in 2003, the walk aims to “make Cebuanos be aware of the leading cancer afflicting most of the women in Cebu today — breast cancer, and hopes to bring every Cebuana into the fight against this ailment via early detection.” – Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)