The Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, played host to a mammoth crowd of participants in the 2025 Breast Care International (BCI) annual walk against breast cancer on Saturday.
This famous annual walk began in 2011 from its’ Kumasi home base and has since taken place in several regional capitals, including Cape Coast, Takoradi, Sunyani, and Tamale, with Kumasi taking a dominant share in staging the 2011, 2012, 2016 and the 2025 versions in that order.
Details:
The historic 2025 walk which took place on Saturday was on the theme, ‘ A CURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR’.
The theme was a choice settled on by organizers to hone in the relevance of an all year round awareness creation campaign to reverse the pervasive ravages of breast cancer.
In keeping with tradition, enthusiastic and health-minded participants carried aloft placards bearing anti-breast cancer content.
Some also carried attestation of the efficacy of cure dependent on early detection and prompt action.
President of BCI:
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the Manhyia Palace gardens, Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, Ghana’s global icon for treatment of the condition said, ‘Early detection of the condition without prompt action would render nugatory, the consistent nationwide awareness creation program to halt the mind-numbing surge of the disease.
She said the disease is pronounced among “women, regardless of age, class, education, religion and race’’.
5 Kilometer Walk:
The five kilometre Kumasi walk, branded ‘‘the royal walk’’, to distinct same from previous versions owing to the character of the durbar grounds, took off from the Adum Post Office in the commercial and business enclave of Kumasi, ending at the Manhyia Durbar grounds where scheduled speakers took turns to address the crowd on why policy makers, civil society organizations, Churches and Charities should not make light the negative effects of breast cancer on the country’s socio-economic development.
Tribute:
Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, President and Founder of Breast Care International, and CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals also paid glowing tribute to sponsors and media partners for the immeasurable support over the years.
He said the contributions of stakeholders had brought to life, the annual walk program making it a permanent feature on Ghana’s health calendar now.
Participants:
The 2025 walk attracted participants from Morocco, the Netherlands, the United States of America, Yemen and France.
Survivors:
Taking part in the walk were several women who had survived breast cancer.
Madam Vivian Gyasi Sarfo, leader of one of the organised groups by name Peace and Love Survivors Association (PALSA) commended Dr Wiafe Addai for her unbridled commitment to ensuring affected persons were educated and treated after diagnosis.
“We have survived breast cancer for years and doing very well now because Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai decided to use her voice to advocate for sensitisation, treatment and care for some of us”, Vivian Gyasi Sarfo.
Word To Sponsors:
BCI, through its CEO stated that, “we remained indebted to our sponsors and media partners who are working with us to brand Ghana as a destination for health tourism, particularly breast cancer”.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi.
