The Breast Cancer Foundation is holding its annual Light Up The Night beach walk to raise money for the charitable foundation and awareness of breast cancer.
A stroll along Cayman’s gorgeous Seven Mile Beach can be romantic, invigorating or relaxing, depending on the mood and who you’re with. But on the evening of Saturday, 23 March, a walk along the beach will take on a much different hue – one that glows in the dark.
This year, the first 100 people to register will receive a glow-in-the-dark T-shirt, so if you get lost, follow the glowing torsos somewhere ahead of you.
“This will be the third annual Light Up The Night event and it’s grown in popularity as a way of enjoying a Saturday evening walking along beautiful Seven Mile Beach … and supporting a great cause at the same time,” said Heather McLaughlin, chief administrator of the Breast Cancer Foundation.
“Participants bring along their children and even the family dog. It’s a good time for everybody! Nothing strenuous, just an easy stroll from Royal Palms to where the Ritz-Carlton will have water available, then back to Royal Palms,” she added.
Walkers will also be offered lighted pink balloons to carry during the two-mile walk, which begins at 7.15pm. “Not that light should be too much of an issue that evening because it will be just a few nights prior to a full moon,” Ms McLaughlin said.
As in previous years, condo owners and residents who live along the path of the walk will be turning on their exterior lights to also help light the way. Each year, they turn out in force on their balconies, porches and on the beach to cheer walkers along.
One participant will win a coveted Breast Cancer Gala Dinner ticket, worth $225, to the foundation’s main fundraiser, which will be held on 5 October. Last year’s gala dinner was a sell-out, with celebrities Giuliana and Bill Rancic as special guests. Ms Rancic, who is a breast cancer survivor, and her husband spoke about their efforts to combat the disease.
Proceeds from the Breast Cancer Foundation’s fundraising events are given, in the form of grants, to organisations dedicated to help breast cancer patients, raise awareness or conduct research. The foundation donates money to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s financial aid programme for cancer patients’ treatment-related expenses; to the Cayman Islands Cancer Registry, which collect cancer statistics to allow the government to better determine the needs regarding medical facilities in the Cayman Islands; and to the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens’ Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.
According to medical statistics, about 70 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no known risk factors for the disease. It is estimated that about US$8.1 billion is spent in the United States each year on breast cancer treatment.
Light Up The Night is sponsored by Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital, Lions Productions, Caymanian Compass, RE/MAX Cayman Islands, Royal Palms and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
Walkers who build up an appetite and thirst can avail of $5 cocktails and a 10 per cent discount on most food at Royal Palms after the walk.
Source: Norma Connolly, Caymanian Compass