Aberdeen Walks For Breast Cancer Awareness

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Aberdeen, Miss. (WCBI) — There was plenty of pink throughout the streets of Aberdeen Saturday.

And many people wore the color to help honor and raise awareness for a terrible disease.

The motivation behind walking for breast cancer is different for everyone.

“I have a sister in law that was affected by it and then I just lost a dear friend of mind a couple months ago to breast cancer that had to leave behind three sons and a husband”, said Daniel Missionary Baptist Church pastor Timothy Thompson.

Mattie Ewing, an organizer of the event, lost a close friend to the disease.

She explained that her friend kept mostly to herself about the disease, and that Ewing’s motivation for walking is to encourage those affected to speak with family and friends for help and comfort.

While today gave people like Ewing a chance to remember, it also gave many the chance to celebrate.

Gloria Wilson, breast cancer survivor, was diagnosed in August 2007 and has been cancer free since January 2008.

“Don’t be ashamed…”, she said, “…I didn’t do anything to cause my cancer. Do not be ashamed of it. Talk about, this is how I’ve learned . I learned a lot about it by opening up and letting people know that I am…a cancer patient…and I learned a lot.”

The awareness walk began at Daniel Missionary Baptist Church and ended at City Hall.

Mayor Cecil Belle and the organizers hope to continue the breast cancer awareness walk next year and beyond.