Nusa Dua, May 15. Pink was the color of the day, as 500 people streamed together for the Pink Ribbon Walk for breast cancer prevention and awareness.
Yayasans and others set up festive merchandise stalls, an aerial photo was taken of the group forming a giant pink ribbon. Some passing rain showers failed to dampen the atmosphere of solidarity, warmth, and goodwill. It was, by all accounts, an inspiring and sometimes quite joyous event.
Locals, tourists, BIWA members and their families, cancer survivors, the GM of a 5 Star resort, a celebrity chef, and those memorializing loved ones, walked, strolled, and wheelchaired their way along a 5K beachfront march, ending in a party zone to reward all participants. Even a group from Nusa Lembongan showed up to walk; as did a delegation from the British Embassy in Jakarta! Walking sponsorships and raffle tickets brought in Rp200 million, double the donations of 2009. It was a proud moment for BIWA and its indefatigable President Melly St Ange.
By July, some newly inaugurated breast health programs were already in action. Just a kilometer away from the Pink Ribbon Walk, female employees of the BTDC attended one of the first seminars on breast cancer prevention. It was just the beginning of the new partnership between BIWA and the Prima Medika hospital’s Bali Care Cancer Foundation (BCCF).
BIWA, in cooperation with the BCCF, is making its latest reach into the community with an hour-long educational program for breast cancer prevention, early detection, and screening. The breast health seminar, led by Dr Putu Dian Ekawati of Prima Medika, continues to be given to various interested groups of Balinese women.
Anyone reading this article is invited to call BIWA to arrange a health seminar for their banjar, factory, or other group. Prevention and detection of osteoporosis, colon cancer, and education about important health issues like strokes and obesity are also discussed, and whole seminars that include these diseases and heart health can be arranged.
BIWA can also be contacted for information on Prima Medika’s special free pap smear and cancer detection program for women of little or no economic means.
Women who cannot get to a seminar can receive from BIWA free copies of a new Indonesian language breast health booklet. It has been published and printed with some of the recently raised funds. It’s a beautiful, full color pamphlet full of health and diet tips for cancer prevention, full instructions for self exam, and contact information for medical help. If there’s anything else like this available in Bali, it’s not being promoted.
Quantities of this booklet can be picked up at the BIWA office in Sanur. Meant to reach all Balinese woman, it can be read aloud to those who cannot read and it is illustrated. It is simple, straightforward and informative, with vital information on diet and health. Although it is free and paid for with fundraising efforts, donations of any amount are gratefully accepted at the office.
For further information or if you might need assistance please contact:
Bali International Women’s Association - BIWA Center, Jln. D. Tandakan #5 Sanur, Bali 0361-286564 & 0361-7469607 Email: info@biwa-bali.org, Website: www.biwa-bali.org & www.balipinkribbon2010.com.
Bali Care Cancer Foundation - BCCF, Prima Medika Hospital, Jln. P. Serangan 9x, Denpasar, Bali at phone no. 0361-236225, Fax no. 0361-236203 Email: balicarecancer@gmail.com
Website: www.balicarecancer.co.id
Consider joining the next Pink Ribbon Walk in 2011. Here are some of the reports and comments from participants:
BIWA has already made an outstanding contribution with purchase of breast screening equipments here in Bali. With continual support from various hospitality industries including The Laguna, and positive contributions from the community at large, we can together take the Bali Pink Ribbon Walk to the next level.
-David Cudden, GM The Laguna
I walked with women who had survived breast cancer, men and women who had lost loved ones, women who had just been diagnosed, friends of families and people who wanted to help. I raised pledges from USA, Bali and India. It was amazing how many people gave who I never met but wanted to see a change for women in Bali.
Personally, I was walking for my mother who lost her battle 19 years ago, as well as all women around the world. She loved fashion and was active in fundraising. As a women’s fashion designer I wanted to use my design skills through clothing that could bring awareness to this disease. So in 2007 I started “Save-the-Cupcakes” tee shirts. Recently, I was contacted by a women’s prison in USA whose inmates wanted to bring this education to those incarcerated and those who worked at the prison. I believe it does not matter where you start to educate because if just one life can be saved we have done our homework.
As a frequent visitor of Bali since 1998 I was proud to be part of this wonderful fundraising event. It was successful and the energy from all the participants gave me hope. I look forward to next year’s Pink Ribbon Walk. I am planning my travel schedule now!
Thank you BIWA, Stephen
…and lastly, this letter from a participant in wheelchair:
I can honestly say that my memories of the Bali Pink Ribbon Walk, even just through the involvement and organization of it, holds some of my fondest memories since living in Bali.It was very ‘people’ focused so everyone was enjoying it and relaxing.
Cancer awareness and eradication means so much to me. The reason for this is that in the mid-1990s my eldest child and son contracted Brain Cancer when he was four and we fought intensely for two years, spending every bit of capital we had and raising more, only for him to eventually die. So I was determined to do the walk and finish it in the best way I could. My determination and the memories of my son took over, so I went as fast as I could after starting last to finish at the front.
The encouragement of everyone, and the Nusa Dua patrol vehicle in escorting me by clearing the traffic in front, spurred me on even more. I became a bit exhausted with a kilometer to go. To do this made me so happy that those many people staying at resorts/hotels in Nusa Dua started ‘egging’ me on, which meant I had to go faster and my determination increased.
At the finish line I was fortunate to have many senior members of BIWA waiting for me. The greatest pleasure was finishing, soaked in sweat, with them all hugging and patting me on the back. The reason I did this was not for self-centered reasons but to increase the memories that everyone has of the Pink Ribbon Walk, which, in my eyes, definitely happened. Resultantly, I cannot be more thankful to BIWA and, not only the memories that I gained, but also for raising significant funds and increasing awareness of a disease that has now become commonplace in society and needs to be addressed for everyone’s well-being.
