It takes approximately three-quarters of a million dollars to effectively operate the Cancer Society of The Bahamas (CSOB) each year.  This annual budget is primarily used to further the Society's corporate mission and objectives which includes serving cancer patients, survivors, their families and persons at risk, through various screening and education programs; providing residential care; advocacy and financial aid.  While the Society depends to a large extent, on donations and grants from corporate and individual donors for a significant portion of its operational budget, it also coordinates in house, a number of fundraising activities each year.  One of these is the "Stride for Life Walk."
"Stride for Life Walk" (SFLW) was first introduced in 2004, under the chairmanship of Terry Fountain, immediate past president of the CSOB.  The walk serves not only as a major plank in the CSOB fundraising arsenal,  but also as a means of raising public awareness to the issue of cancer in general, and to breast cancer in particular, as well as to mobilize public support for the ongoing work of the CSOB.  It is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 1, with a 6 a.m. start.  There are seven categories in which individuals may register and actively participate, 6-12 years; 13-20 years; 21-30 years; 31-40 years; 41-50 years; 51-60 years, and 61 and over.  Each category is further grouped by gender, as well as whether a participant is a cancer survivor or not.
There are two routes for the walk, one for the younger, able-bodied participants known as group one, and one for cancer survivors and "older," less able-bodied participants, known as group two.  Both routes will begin and end at the CSOB's headquarters, East Terrace, Centreville.  While both groups will travel the same route to East Bay Street,
Group one will walk north over the "new" Paradise Island bridge to the Golf Course and back over the "old" bridge to Mackey Street.  They will continue south to Shirley Street, walking west to Collins Avenue and south to the CSOB.  Group two's route will omit the walk across the two bridges and will continue to walk east on East Bay Street to Mackey Street, and proceed south to Shirley Street and follow a similar route to the CSOB's headquarters.
The planning process for S4LW begins from as early as mid-January each year with a team of volunteers from both the private and the public sectors, ranging in age from 22 years to 60-plus.  This team, coordinated by Gennie Dean, consists of both cancer survivors and friends of survivors.
The Rt. Rev'd Laish Boyd, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and Erin Brown, both of whom are cancer survivors, serve as honorary co-chairpersons of the committee.
The business community has been extremely generous, as always, in their support of this event; Major sponsors include: Bahamia, Shoe Village, Aquapure, Atlantic Medical, BAF Financial & Insurance (BAH) LTD, Bahamas Food Services (BFS), Bank of the Bahamas, Chevron, Colina, First Caribbean International Bank, Island Games, J.S. Johnson, Nautilus, Phil's Food Services and Scotia Bank.
Additionally, Bahamas Waste Management, Caribbean Bottling, Fidelity Bank, the National Insurance Board (NIB), and the Teachers' and Salaried Workers' Credit Union have generously paid the registration fees for their employees to participate in the walk.  In addition, the international Susan G. Komen Foundation will again be participating.
In 2010, the S4LW netted over $21,000.  The target for 2011 has been set at $26,000.  Despite the ongoing recession and increases in prices in many instances, the committee is confident that this target will be realized.
At the conclusion of the walk, Minister of Health, Dr. Hubert Minnis will speak, as well as a cancer survivor that will share his/her experience.  Bodine Johnson is also expected to perform.
The "Stride for Life Walk" is now in its eighth year, having been introduced in 2004 for the dual purpose of raising funds and raising public awareness around general and specific cancer issues.  It is an event that is suitable for the entire family's participation.  Registration forms for all categories and groups are vailable from the Society's headquarters on East Terrace or can be downloaded from the CSOB's website at www.cancersocietybahamas.org.  For more information, telephone the Cancer Society of The Bahamas at 323-4441 or 323-4482.

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