Cromwell came out to prove that pink truly does go with everything yesterday morning, as more than 100 people and their pets donned the colour for a 5km Pink Ribbon walk marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Organiser and "stage 4 breast cancer thriver” Anthea Lawrence said she was "so excited” by the turnout, which saw attendees walk along the lakefront from the Cromwell Boat Club to Old Cromwell.
"I did not believe that there’d be this many people,” she said.
"I’m really humbled, and it’s so amazing to have this many women and men and dogs and kids show out in force in pink today.”
Attendees were encouraged to not only dress in pink but to also make a donation to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, a mission Mrs Lawrence said attendees had accepted with enthusiasm.
"We’ve also raised well over $2000 for the foundation too, so I’m pretty stoked on that.”
Mrs Lawrence’s own journey had been "really quick”.
After being diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in May, she soon learned the importance of keeping her emotions positive and always looking for silver linings, she said.
"Speaking to other women, I know a lot of them had lots of different experiences and I think a few of them used the (Breast Cancer) Foundation for counselling and things like that.
"So I just wanted to support these other women who probably didn't have the same sort of journey as me.”
Mrs Lawrence said she had made "fantastic” progress in her own journey, and had ended chemotherapy early.
"I’m on immunotherapy and either all the tumours have disappeared or have shrunk by at least half,” she said.
Her advice to others was simple — check yourself.
"First off, check your boobs. Know what your normal is, because I found a lump myself. Any indication of anything, change in your breasts, get it checked out.”
She wanted to avoid the "stigma” around cancer and encouraged others to do the same, Mrs Lawrence said.
"As soon as you say that word, that’s why I don’t even like using the word, it puts you in a negative space,” she said.
"So it’s coming at it from a different perspective and that the survival rate is really high now. And it’s all about doing the treatments but doing the other things. Meditate, positive thinking, your diet, stop the booze, don’t eat sugar, exercise, get out, be with your friends."
Donations to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ can be made directly via their website.
