Walk paints beachfront pink

Family of 30 joins thousands in PE event to honour relatives affected by cancer An Alexandria family of more than 30 members was among the thousands who took part in the Algoa FM Big Walk for cancer to honour loved ones affected by the disease.

The Port Elizabeth beachfront was a sea of pink as more than 11 000 residents of all ages, including corporate companies, participated in the walk. Cowan Cannon, 49, said the family of 30-plus had been travelling from Alexandria each year to honour his nephew, Dayne Williams. Cannon said the walk was always a bittersweet moment for the family. “As much as this is something we always look forward to doing, it’s also a sad moment for us because he [Dayne] died within 24 hours of being diagnosed with leukaemia,” Cannon said. The family wore printed T-shirts with a picture of Williams and his name in bold letters. “This walk brings us together and we see how we can support each other as a family and other families who are going through the same trauma,” Cannon said. The 5km walk, which started at the Boardwalk Lighthouse, saw many determined to show off their hot-pink wigs and quirky outfits despite the wet weather. Organisations that will benefit from the walk are the Igazi Foundation, Cansa and CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa). Corporate companies also put their best foot forward with the BBF Safety Group halting operations for the day as more than 390 employees participated in the walk. In turn, the safety footwear giant contributed R23 400 to the cause from its employees alone, as each employee was expected to bring at least one friend or family member. Veronica de Lange, 62, her daughter and five grandchildren wore tutus and white shirts with “De Lange” in bold pink letters in honour of her husband Berry de Lange, 69, a cancer survivor. “Taking part in this race means everything to me as it is such a tribute to so many people,” De Lange said. “Cancer is such a common illness yet people are not aware of that until something like this takes place.” Screenings on the day included tests for hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer, blood pressure, glucose levels, tuberculosis, blood cancer and breast self-examination. The walk was held in partnership with the Eastern Cape Department of Health.