Organisers: Prostate Cancer Run Walk a success

The Barbados Cancer Society is hailing Sunday’s Prostate Cancer Run Walk as a success.  Now in its second year, the event has seen a significant increase in participation and public engagement.

Michelle Straughn, walk manager for the event, speaking to the media after the starter fired the pistol to get walkers, runners, rollerbladers, skaters and children on scooters, underway, expressed her enthusiasm about the growing numbers and the importance of raising awareness for prostate cancer.

“This is now our second walk for the Prostate Cancer Walk. We started last year, it was our first. And we’ve certainly done a lot better this year in terms of numbers,” Straughn said. 

“We were expecting maybe about, I would say, 2,000 persons. And I believe that we would have gotten that. And we’re all excited because this means that awareness is spreading.”

Rollerbladers also took part in this year’s event.

She noted the initiative, aimed at bringing awareness to prostate cancer, served a crucial role as there was a critical need for early detection, not only for cancer but cancer of the prostate.

“It’s so important. The early detection of prostate cancer, as you know, is all about the males. And we have to protect them. So we’re very, very happy to see the response. And we know that next year will be better, because we have a bigger and better plan for next year. Maybe a lot more activities on the day. Listen out for it.”

There were some changes made this time around to the route, to accommodate different participants’ preferences. Whereas last year there was one route, Straughn explained some members of the public called for there to be a run in addition to the walk and this time around, the run was added along a separate route. (RG)