Are you aware that breast cancer kills one woman every 75 seconds and in every 29 seconds a new case is diagnosed somewhere in the world, and more than 1 million women are diagnosed with this illness every year?  And wait, men can have breast cancer too.

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) will hold the 7th annual “Moonwalk: A Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness” on Oct. 23, in observance of Breast Awareness Month in October.

Moonwalk, a unique advocacy campaign of RAFI held every full moon of October, aims to promote the importance of observing monthly breast self-examination for women aged 20 and beyond.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Cebuano women, based on the Cebu population-based Cancer Registry of RAFI.

From 1993 to 2007, Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of RAFI recorded a total of 3,005 reported breast cancer cases in Metro Cebu. EJACC found a continuous increase of breast cancer incidence in Metro Cebu over the past 10 years, caused by lifestyle and health-related factors.

EJACC, which is organizing the Moonwalk, is expecting more than 1,500 participants in the upcoming activity.

The assembly area for this year’s Moonwalk will be at the Cebu Business Park near Pag-Ibig Fund Tower at 5 p.m. Participants will walk to the Asiatown I.T. Park where a short program will be held.

Moonwalk is open to the public.

The major partner for Moonwalk is The Walk in Asia Town I.T. Park (AITP). The event is also supported by other various groups and institutions, including Ayala Center Cebu, AITP, Cebu Business Park, Department of Health-Center for Health Development Regional Office 7, Destiny Medical Fund, Cebu City Government, Cancer Care Network of Cebu, Rotary Club of Fuente, Rotaract Club, Philippine Society of Medical Oncologists, Kahayag Network of Cancer Support Group, Cebu Cancer Fight, Cebu Breast Association, CAN with God, I CAN SERVE, and KALIPI Federation.

To know more about Moonwalk, or to register, please call 254-6351 or 256-3287 and look for Gina Mariquit.