New delhi : CanSupport, the pioneer in the field of home-based palliative care runs the largest program for people with cancer in North India organised its 8th annual walka-thon called “Walk for Life” on Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri.
Sangeeta Jaitley, wife of the Finance Minister flagged off the Walk at Nehru Park, on a colourful Sunday morning event that saw students, prominent citizens and people from all sections of society walk shoulder to shoulder to express their solidarity with those living with cancer, and to mark World Cancer Day.
She was joined by celebrities and personalities from public life, cinema, the corporate sector and thousands of ordinary citizens. Manisha Koirala, leading film actor, activist and cancer survivor, US Ambassador Richard Verma and his wife Pinky Verma, film actor and CanSupport friend Aditi Rao Hydari, Smt Gursharan Kaur, wife of ex-Prime Minister, former US Ambassador David Mulford and his wife Jeannie Mulford walked along with Harmala Gupta, CanSupport founder-President.
A festive atmosphere prevailed as Manisha Koirala along with Mrs Jeannie Mulford led the Lap of Honour organised for Survivors.
They were greeted with huge applause and followed by biking enthusiasts, cyclists, runners and skaters, with vintage cars carrying survivors making up a train.
Leading the Lap of Honor Manisha Koirala said “Cancer if detected early is curable. There is definitely a life after Cancer and a more meaningful one at that.
We have to put an end to the silence around the disease.” Aditi Rao Hydari says “I have known about the work that CanSupport does for many years.
The Walk gives me an opportunity to how my support and to applaud the work.” This year, CanSupport’s Walk for Life witnessed more than 10,000 walkers including members of the diplomatic corps, ambassadors of many countries,
expat community, corporate houses, schools, colleges in Delhi.
People carried placards to remember their loved ones lost to cancer and performed impromptu acts as they walked down the 4.5 km circular route between Nehru Park and Shanti Path, to show they care and to support the work of the organisation in the field of alliative care.
There were representatives of 20 schools, 27 colleges and 24 corporate houses participating in the Walk.