Wellness walk aims to fight cancer and bring awareness
Reading and hearing about other people's experience of cancer can be a source of support when you or someone you love is going through treatment. To show your support, joining a wellness walk may be just the perfect thing for you and your loved ones.
After witnessing a family member living with cancer and later succumbing to the disease, Tshepang Lutshaba founded an organisation called SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC) to change people's lives.
With October globally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Lutshaba will be holding her wellness walk against cancer.
SAUAC is a non-profit organisation (NPO) based in Johannesburg. The organisation aims to bring a change in the approach to cancer prevention.
Cancer is a rising crisis for South Africa, as the World Health Organization said in February this year that an estimated 1.1 million new cancer cases were being reported in Africa each year, and there are around 700 000 deaths on the continent from cancer each year.
Lutshaba founded SAUAC with the sole purpose of changing lives and making a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans. She had an aunt who was part of females who accounted for 51.3% of cancers diagnosed while males accounted for 48.6% in 2018. Lutshaba’s aunt succumbed to cervical cancer, while a number of her family members battled against the same disease and she felt she had to make a difference.
Telling us more about this year’s Wellness Walk Against Cancer, scheduled for 28 October 2023 at Rietveil Zoo Farm, Alberton, Lutshaba said: “The organisation was established in 2017 after I lost my aunt to cervical cancer. While she was ill ,she always told me we needed to educate people about cancer because it's a rather lonely journey. This sparked it all for me.”
With this campaign, she said they look to educate the public about various types of cancers, and give support to those fighting cancer as well as their family members too.
She added that they have spent thousands from their own pockets over the years, and they would like to see more people lending a helping hand.
SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC) is an NPO based in Johannesburg. The organisation aims to bring about a paradigm shift in the approach to cancer prevention by developing new communication and advocacy methods.
To join the SAUCAC walk, visit www.computicket.com. Tickets are valued at R150 each.