BY BUSTIN ANZU
Women throughout the world well remember October 22 as the Pink Ribbon Day.
It is more important than Mother's Day or Valentine. Those days are filtered with laughter, joy, romance and parties while the Pink Ribbon Day is more solemn.
It is a day to remember how two forms of cancer, breast and cervical, threaten the lives of womenfolk.
It's a day when women, young and old chat, hold discussions, congregate and talk about how best they could eradicate cervical and breast cancers.
Open forums and seminars are held to look for best possible ways to stand as one to fight cancer and fundraising activities are organised to support the work of their organization.
In PNG women from all walks of life have joined hands in the fight against cancer.
Community Development minister Dame Carol Kidu, the only woman parliamentarian has been very vocal about these chronic cancers.
In October 2005, Dame Carol joined women in Lae for a march to raise awareness and gauge support to detect and fight cancer.
The march started at Top Town and ended at Butibam village, where she addressed women about the importance of looking after themselves and having regular medical checks.
Women who have access to modern health services were better off in terms of seeking medical assistance than the rural women, who suffered and live with the cancer over the years.
In the neighbouring Solomon Islands, womenfolk came together for the first time to address the issue of breast and cervical cancer.
Many women in the country had suffered from these cancers and have died in pain because there were no machines to detect and diagnose the cancer in its early stage and furthermore it was too expensive to seek medical attention abroad.
But thanks to Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) arrangements have been made to raise funds for women who are suffering from the cancer in the country.
Lady Alice Waena, the wife of Solomon Islands Governor General, Sir Nathanial Waena, took the bold step to become the first patron of the Pink Ribbon Day.
She was given a chopper ride over the city of Honiara and Guadalcanal Plains before the inaugural Pink Ribbon Day fundraising.
Lady Waena said she was happy for such a support they received from RAMSI.
"I am very happy that we are getting such a strong support from RAMSI and the community," she said after her maiden chopper ride.
"Breasts and cervical cancer are two of the biggest killers of our women in Solomon Islands so there is a lot of work to be done in this area," she said.
She said the First-Lady's Charity was initiated particularly to look at how to raise funds to purchase equipment to detect and diagnose cancers in early stages.
"Now that we are getting such wonderful support through the Pink Ribbon Day activities, we have a chance to get started on this new initiative."
The commander of RAMSI's Participating Police Force (PPF) Denis McDermott, said he was happy with Solomon Islands will now have its own Pink Ribbon Day devoted to raising funds in support of fighting cancer in women.
"It's a great opportunity for everyone to get together and have some fun and support a good cause," the commander said.
"We hope the event can be run at this time every year with all the money raised going towards helping Solomon Islands women combat cancer."
RAMSI hosted a gala charity night in support of the inaugural Pink Ribbon Day where it auctioned a helicopter ride for two as the main fundraising event in aid of the fundraising drive.
Lady Waena said combating cancers that were killing Solomon Island women was one of the challenges facing their nation.
"Many of our families have had to watch, as their much loved wives, mothers, sister and daughters, bravely die, as a result of the usually unsuccessful detection and treatment of this terrible disease," she said.
"For the Solomon Islands families, women's cancer is something that has certainly brought about a lot of heartache and pain.
"On behalf of the women of this nation, may I sincerely thank Commander Denis McDermott and RAMSI for initiating this fundraising drive."
Welcoming more than 300 guests, commander of PPF McDermott thanked everyone for their support for that very important initiative.
"Everyone has been touched at some stage in their life by cancer," he said.
She said she had a mother who died at 47 years from cancer and nephew died at 21.
"This initiative is like a new baby. What is the first thing a new baby does? It takes a breath. Tonight, is the first day of this initiative for fight cancer in this country," he said during the night.
"It is not just my dream, but the dream of many of us, that in years to come, we should be able to look back and celebrate with the mothers, wives, sisters and daughters, who have been able to be diagnosed early and thus successfully treated, instead of being cut down by this terrible disease," she said.
Honiara business community and many individuals including RAMSI officers threw their support behind the Pink Ribbon Day dinner held at Sea King Restaurant.
Special guests from Australia including didgeridoo player Adrian Ross, a magician and the Australian Navy Band were used to entertain the guests.
Those who were present including GG Sir Nathaniel Waena, Health Minister Clay Forau, Clerk of Parliament Taiasi Sanga, Guadalcanal Province Premier Joash Salani, Prime Minister's secretary Ruth Liloqula, Police Commissioner Mohammad Jahir Khan, his deputies Peter Marshall and Walter Kola, RAMSI Special Coordinator Tim George and RAMSI special envoy Michael Maina.
Items auctioned during the night were a pink laptop computer, dinner set, bicycle and various sporting equipment.

 

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