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Running for a purpose

Awareness Campaign
Last Updated 26 February 2013, 16:59 IST

The City’s first ever women’s ten-kilometre run, ‘Pinkathon - Run to Lead’, will be held on April 7. The aim behind this is to create awareness about breast cancer.

The run, which was announced at a recent press conference, will be led by actor and super model Milind Soman. ‘Pinkathon - Run to Lead’ is scheduled to start at Kanteerava Stadium and Bangalore is the second city that it will be held in.

The conference was attended by many leading figures, such as Kiran Mazumder Shaw; Deveika Bhojwani, from the Women’s Cancer Initiative; actress Priyanka Upendra and former international athletes Ashwini Nachappa and Reeth Abraham. Each of them spoke about the issue.

Deveika Bhojwani, who is a breast cancer survivor, suggests that every woman should get themselves tested for breast cancer.

“When I discovered that I had breast cancer, many things crossed my mind. Thanks to early detection, I can do all those things that a normal woman can. After my treatment, I decided to go back to the hospital and start a movement to create awareness about the disease. The trick is to check regularly — simple steps like checking for lumps or changes in your breasts can be done at home. If there is a change, do not ignore it; go to a doctor immediately. Fitness is the key to preventing cancer, as it increases your immunity and fights diseases,” she informs.
Priyanka Upendra also has some exposure to breast cancer, since her mother-in-law is a cancer survivor.

“I lost my paternal uncle to cancer seven years ago. I think  ‘Pinkathon’ is a wonderful way to create awareness about breast cancer and preventing it. Bangalore is said to have the highest number of cancer cases in India, which is very alarming. Women have to take care of themselves — it is not selfish to do so. If you are healthy, your family is healthy. Doing simple exercises at home can be very  helpful in improving immunity, stamina and overall health,” she adds.

Former athlete Reeth Abraham points out that it’s important to ensure that one stays fit.
“People who say that they have no time to exercise are just making excuses. You can always make time for a walk or a jog. There is no age to start. Even 20 minutes, four times a week, is good enough for — you will feel the difference,” she advises.

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(Published 26 February 2013, 14:35 IST)

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