The West Indian American Day Carnival Association’s festive Labor Day parade has passed, but there’s another important march the organizers are supporting — a walk to fight breast cancer.
Under its WIADCA acronym, the carnival association is one of more than 100 groups and thousands of individuals taking part in the 4.3-mile American Cancer Society “Making Strides of Brooklyn” walk. If only a fraction of the millions-plus carnival crowds pitch in for the breast cancer walk, the WIADCA team will easily meets it goal of raising $3,000.
The “Making Strides of Brooklyn” event, which begins in The Nethermead area of Prospect Park, will be held on Oct. 19. Before the walk, WIADCA team participants will gather at Flatbush Ave. and Empire Blvd. at 8 a.m. to register teams and individuals. The non-competitive walk begins at 10 a.m.
Throughout the nation and the five boroughs, thousands of American Cancer Society events will be held next month to benefit the fight against breast cancer. Other Brooklyn teams created for the walk include the “Striders of the Caribbean” from SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and “Chosen: The Women’s Ministry” walkers from Brooklyn’s Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African-American women and a major ailment in the Caribbean. If current trends continue, breast cancer cases and deaths are projected to increase by 2030 in the Americas, according to the Pan American Health Organization, which monitors health in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Donations come from pledges made to walkers. And if you choose not to walk, donations can be made online to participating teams. Visit http://bit.ly/makingstridesbrooklyn to join the WIADCA effort, sign up for other teams, create a team, walk as an individual or donate to the cause.
SOURCE: NY Daily News
