Women raise K132,000 for cancer

A group of women in three highlands provinces has raised more than K132,000 to buy a cervical cancer diagnosis machine in a campaign called ‘Walk the Talk Against Cancer’.
The money was raised by Catholic women in Eastern Highlands, Chimbu and Western Highlands and given to the Eastern Highlands Health Authority and Catholic Health Services.
“It was not an easy task for the Walk the Talk against Cancer Women’s group in a collective effort in advocating and raising the money to purchase the cancer treatment machine,” Pamela Krisimpa, a member of the group, said.
The money was given during Women’s Day celebrations in Goroka on Thursday.
“As mothers and learning of the seriousness of cancer in women in the Eastern Highlands as well as the other provinces in the Highlands region, we decided come together to form the group,” Krisimpa said.
“Our aim and task was to raise funds and purchase cancer machines to assist women, mostly mothers diagnosed with cancer.”
She said that while the government is spending much money on sports development and other activities, women and mothers continue to die from cancer
“To minimise the cancer-related deaths in mothers, the group is urging the government to step in and provide funds to purchase cancer therapy machines for mothers who are painfully losing their lives with cancer,” Krisimpa said.
Of the K132,000 raised, the group presented K15,000 to Eastern Highlands Health Authority, K60,000 to the Catholic Health Services and the rest the group spent on its administration.