Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 10, 1 October 2016 — Community support sought for breast cancer walk [ARTICLE]

Community support sought for breast cancer walk

The American Cancer Society has begun fundraising for its 8th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event, whieh raises awareness and funds to combat the disease. This year the walk will be held at Ke'ehi Lagoon State Park on Oct. 22. Denise Walther of Kaua'i, featured as one of the American Cancer Society's Portraits of Hope, shared a message at the kickoff event: "As the saying goes, 'Life is what happens to you while

you are busy making other plans' is exactly what had happened to us. After the 'perfect storm' (of a cancer diagnosis) we were faced with lives quite different than we had planned. What eame from this experience is that I realized what is truly important - after the healing of my body - was when the real work began with picking up the pieces and begin again. I am now the coordinator for the Reach to Recovery program and feel that it (Reach to Recovery) is absolutely necessary for women who feel lost, alone, and have no one to tum to." Last year, more than 4,000 people participated in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, raising $187,000 in Hawai'i. To leam more or to sign up for the walk, visit www.makingstrideswalk.org/hawaii. ■