Angels Walking™ For Cancer

We apologise with the mix up on registrations and with the parking attendants.  We had paid the Zoo Lake to hire the grounds so no monies should have been handed over.   We hope to see you all again in 2011.  Pictures will be loaded onto the webiste next week.

All in all a fantastic day was had - we had over 5000 walkers!!!!  Thank you for making this happen.  

 Angels Walking is in its third year and is a fundraising concept where we walk ano s we raise money for Cancer.   Our walk this year will take place at the Johannesburg Zoo on Sunday 29 August at 08h00.  The walk is open to everyone and we encourage our walkers to come along in their wings in the colour of the cancer they support.   Wings, halo's, wigs etc will be on sale from our vendors.

The walk is 5km around the inside of the zoo.  The entrance fee is R80 for adults and R40 for children under 15.  Bottled water will be supplied.   Prizes will be given to the 10 best wings for children, women and men and we will be selling raffle tickets with some great prizes ranging from spa vouchers to jewellery.

 

After the walk we have various forms of entertainment ie guest speakers, self defence exhibition, belly, line and Irish dancing and the wonderful Cool Catz from e.tv.    Our Healthy Living Village has a wide range of activites from massage, reiki, childrens cooking, nail painting. Ozone Therapy and much more.

The Department of Health will be doing blood pressure,  bmi and various other tests .  All the Cancer Organisations joining us on the day namely CHOC, Bosom Buddies, People Living with Cancer, Sunflower Organisation, Journey of Hope, People Living with Cancer and Campaigning for Cancer will all be doing something special from their stands.

 

Anton and Claire from the Mystic Theatre & Performance Troupe, Taliesin's Tribe

are going to attempt to walk the 5km distance on peg stilts as a further attempt to

raise funds and creative awareness for cancer!!

 

Proceeds of funds raised will be used to upgrade the Oncology Clinic at the Johannesburg General (Charlotte Maxeke) Hospital making this more comfortable for patients by supplying a desperately needed PA System, radios & televisions, curtains, chairs for chemo and waiting areas, air conditioners, pillows and blankets, hospital beds and a weekly supply of fresh fruit.

On average this unit sees 600 cancer patients per week and is one of the only 'free' Oncology Clinics in Johannesburg where you can undergo chemo.  A patient pays R40.00 for treatment which can cost up to R36 000.

e.tv - OUR MEDIA PARTNER

e.tv selected Angels Walking as one of their CSI projects for 2009/2010.  With 12 million viewers we certainly believe a strong educational message will be  carried through the on air promo's and public service announcements.

CANCER

Research points out that South African males have a lifetime risk of 1 in 6 of developing cancer and South African females are 1 in 8.

The leading five male cancers in South Africa are :

* Prostate 1 in 23

* Lung 1 in 69

* Oesophagus 1 in 82

* Colon/rectum 1 in 97

* Bladder 1 in 108

The leading five female cancers in South Africa are :

* Breast 1 in 29

* Cervix 1 in 35

* Uterus 1 in 144

* Colorectal 1 in 162

* Oesophageal 1 in 196

LUNG CANCER

Lung cancer remains a growing health problem in both sexes.  Although males (1 in 69) far exceed females (1 in 20) the long term effects of smoking will result in an increasing incidence of lung cancer in females for many years to come.  It will be decades before recent anti-smoking drives and legislation reduce these figures.

SKIN CANCER

The most common cancer in South Africa is skin cancer with about 20 000 reported new cases each year.  South Africa has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world after Australia.   Over 700 South Africans die each year from skin cancer with the majority of those cases being malignant melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

There are five types of cancers :

Carcinomas - these are formed in the tissue that cover a surface or line internal organs of the body.

Sarcomas - develop in connective tissue and affect bones and soft tissue.

Leukaemias - are found in the blood and the blood-forming tissues.

Lymphomas - affect the lymphatic system that normally acts as a filter of impurities on the body.

Myelomas - are tumours that arise in plasma cells in the bone marrow.

GLOBALLY

The global burden of cancer has more than doubled during the past 30 years.  According to estimates cancer will be the leading cause of death globally in the year 2010.   Over 7 million people die from cancer and more than 11 million new cases are diagnosed worldwide.  By 2020 if current trends continue new cases of cancer will increase to 16 million per year.

SOME FACTS....

The incidence of childhood cancer is about 1 in every 600 children with the most common being leukaemia.

Men over 50 should undergo yearly prostate check ups.

The most common sympton of bladder cancer is blood in the urine.

Breast cancer is a general term for several different types of cancer that occur in the breast.

The most common sympton of cancer of the cervic is abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Cancer of the oesophagus is a malignant tumour of the passage connecting the mouth to the stomach.

Colon cancer should be suspected in anyone who experiences a change in bowel habits.

Sun exposure particularly sunburn can cause skin damage that leads to melanoma.

Benign tumours are not cancer.  They do not spread to other parts of the body and tend not to recur when surgically removed.

The SA Bone Marrow Registry is in desperate need of donors from all ethnic groups and mixed ethnic backgrounds.

Cancer of the pancreas is often referred to as the 'silent disease' because symptons are few and non specific leading to late diagnosis.

Lung cancer may be present for several years and spread beyond the lungs before symptoms occur and it is diagnosed.

The commonest symptons of brain tumours are seizures, weakness of one side of the body, headaches and a change in personality.

For most people the word 'cancer' is frightening. The good news is early detection of cancer is definately not the death sentence it used to be.

Typically cancer is treated through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

So stop smoking, stay out of the sun, eat a healthy diet of fish, fruit and vegetables, limit your intake of animals fats, do some exercise and have regular medical check ups.