Zimpapers Reporters
HUNDREDS of people, including Zimpapers staff, stakeholders, sponsors, young children, and the elderly, including cancer survivors, on Saturday transformed Old Hararians Sports Club into a sea of purple, as they participated in the 11th Zimpapers Cancer Power Walk in Harare.
The event was held simultaneously in other Zimpapers branches across the country to raise awareness of cancer and raise funds that assist cancer patients
The event was held under the theme: “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters”
Prisca Makandwa, Zimpapers Chief Financial Officer, applauded all the sponsors who chipped in for this noble cause.
“The 11th edition of this initiative did not happen because of Zimpapers alone. It happened because organisations, institutions and individuals like you believed in this cause and continued walking with us. Through your support, Zimpapers has continued mobilising resources for Island Hospice and Healthcare, supporting its invaluable work in providing palliative care to people affected by cancer,”
“That makes every contribution to this initiative meaningful. You are not simply sponsoring a walk. You are helping us give care, dignity, comfort and hope to someone who needs it,” she said.
She thanked FBC Bank for being the Diamond sponsor that goes beyond banking but thinking also about the health and welfare of communities it serves.
Speaking in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo said Zimpapers had demonstrated how institutions could use their reach and influence to mobilise communities around critical health issues.
Her speech was read by the director in her office, Farai Mavima.
She commended Zimpapers, through Platinum FM and The Herald, for bringing together communities, cancer survivors, families and other stakeholders, saying the initiative had transformed media influence into a platform for saving lives.
“Today we are not just walking for fitness. We are walking for our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, our brothers, our children, our friends and our neighbours who have battled cancer, who are battling cancer, and those we have lost to cancer,” she said.
Minister Chombo challenged other institutions to build on the initiative by establishing their own awareness and support programmes, ensuring that the fight against cancer remained active beyond special commemorative events.
She also called on churches, traditional leaders, schools and the business community to break the silence surrounding cancer and support affected families with material and emotional assistance.
“Cancer is not a death sentence if detected early. Go and get screened, get checked, talk about it and do not suffer in silence,” she said.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira commended Zimpapers for rallying communities to fight the growing cancer scourge through raising awareness about the dangers posed by the non-communicable disease.
Speaking at the highly subscribed Masvingo Cancer Power Walk at the Civic Centre, Minister Chadzamira, in a speech read on his behalf by the deputy director for economic affairs in his office Tarirai Kudzai, praised Zimpapers for leading from the front in the fight against cancer.
‘’I want to commend Zimbabwe Newspapers for taking this noble initiative and for providing a platform through which communities, corporates, health institutions and other stakeholders can unite around the cancer pandemic that is affecting individuals, families and communities across our country,’’said Minister Chadzmira.
The Minister noted that cancer remained a major public health concern with far-reaching socio-economic consequences saying Zimpapers deserved plaudits for adding impetus to the nation’s war against cancer.
Beacon 24Hr Medical Centre Director, Dr Richard Makoni in his address, said it was important for members of the public to undergo regular cancer screening to increase chances of early detection adding that everyone had a responsibility to raise cancer awareness.
Ackmore Machimbira, who represented Island Hospice Masvingo, thanked Zimpapers for spearheading the fight against cancer stressing that the country’s largest integrated media house has been a consistent player in the fight against cancer.
In response to calls from participants at this year’s Masvingo Cancer Power Walk, Zimpapers pledged to expand the event next year by introducing short marathon to entrench a culture of exercising in the Masvingo community.
Speaking on the sidelines, some of the cancer survivors saluted Zimpapers for holding such activities.
Lois Ngonyamo (53) of Harare was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, which saw her losing her right breast, and lamented the high costs of medication, diagnosis and treatment.
“Monthly I’m on Cancer suppression drugs. My medical aide covers this. Every six months I go for blood tests and scans as a monitoring measure. I count myself lucky because I’m on medical aid, and I’m working. I shiver when I imagine how cancer patients who are not on medical aid are coping. This is what moves me to support events like these, because I appreciate very well that there are cancer patients out there who need this financial support.
“I remember spending over US$20 000 last year for diagnosis, surgery, and medication at one time; my medical aid was overdrawn, but I thank my family for being very supportive,” she said.
Bongani Chakanga from Zorro Trained highlighted the importance of exercising for the health and well-being of communities.
“Health and fitness come from exercising, and it should remain a culture rather than posing a problem when it is hot. One can do these exercises in the morning or evening and reduce the disease burden, including cancer. We will continue to work closely with Zimpapers and other stakeholders in creating a healthy nation through sport,” she said.
Some of the sponsors include ZINARA, POSB, the National Employment Council for the Printing, Packaging and Newspaper Industry, National Blood Service Zimbabwe, Puma Energy, ZESA and the Forestry Commission, Labels Bakeries, Zorro Trained, To the People’s Republic of China, Dr McKenzie Matienga, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, among others.
