VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Cancer Concern Association (CCA) on Praslin organised a beach walk at the Côte d’Or beach on Sunday afternoon in solidarity with cancer patients and their families. A large crowd from different walks of life was present to bring a message of hope to those in need. The walk was part of the activities marking World Cancer Day on February 4, and is being read as one of the most visible community events in the calendar of the association. The presence of a large crowd, in effect, gave the event a profile that went well beyond the regular membership of the association.
The walk, which started in front of Pirogue Restaurant & Bar, went up to the Acajou Beach Hotel, on to the Paradise Sun Hotel and back to the starting point. Those present could also light a candle of hope and offer a silent prayer before departure. The route, in effect, took in three of the major beachfront hotels on the west coast of Praslin, and gave the walk a clear visual presence on the most heavily-trafficked part of the island’s tourism belt. The decision to involve the hotels in the route was a deliberate move to draw the attention of both the local community and the visitors on the island.
Liaison officer Vincent Cedras, members of the National Assembly Churchill Gill and Doyace Poris, district administrators Chantal Laure and Bertie Cedras, church leaders and members of several organisations were also present. The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) had particularly mobilised a dynamic team for the walk. As part of our activities to give back to the community, we were instantly eager to participate once we received the invitation, shared Marc Jean-Baptiste, SIF site manager on Praslin. We set up a donation box in both SIF sites on Praslin, Vallée de Mai and Fond Ferdinand, and today we are donating the proceeds received so far.
It was the chairperson of CCA-Praslin, Tasianna D’Unienville, who accepted the donation and thanked SIF for the heartwarming gesture. To note that this is also part of activities for the 40th anniversary celebration of the inscription of the Vallée de Mai as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This year’s World Cancer Day theme, ‘Close the Care Gap’, seeks to call on leaders to make a commitment in prioritising cancer detection and treatment as well as individuals to live a healthier lifestyle. The framing of the donation within the broader 40th anniversary of the Vallée de Mai inscription is being read as a deliberate move to draw attention to the longer-term trajectory of the cancer concern movement in the country.
A cancer survivor and treasurer of CCA-Praslin, Josette Bedier, stated that fighting cancer is not an easy battle. There are days when you might feel like giving up. That is why we are here as Cancer Concern Association. We are here to provide support, guidance and counselling to the patients themselves and their families. CCA-Praslin thanked everyone who contributed towards making the event a success and hopes to keep the beach walk an annual event.
