LESS than 100 staff of Solomon Power successfully conducted a walkathon of 3km walk around the road of Ranadi Industrial area, in East Honiara.
This was in support of Pinktober breast cancer awareness in the country.
This walkathon aims to raise funds which will go towards supporting the Oncology cancer unit of the National Referral Hospital.
The month of October every year is dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and vital importance of early detection which Solomon Power HSSE Department is championing.
Solomon Power Manager of the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Department, Christian Siota said Solomon Power supports Pinktober annually as it is the cancer awareness month for women affected with breast cancers and believes it is moral to support staff with such programmes.
“Solomon Power has been supporting Pinktober awareness in the past, and this year we decided to raise funds to support the Oncology cancer unit of the National Referral Hospital,” he said.
Siota acknowledged Solomon Power HSSE Officer Gloria Qwaina Lilo for initiating the ‘Walkathon’ plan with the Head of the Oncology Department of the NRH Dr Andrew Soma, for Solomon Power staff to support this cause.
Lilo said this is the first of its kind for our staff to raise funds to an honorable cause like support the Oncology Unit.
“Our aim for this walkathon is to make awareness for the importance of early detection of cancer and doing treatment for women who are affected with breast cancer and other cancers in the country,” she said.
She explained that rather than the usual walking on the street with a wheelbarrow seeking monetary support they have issued sponsorship forms in early September to Solomon Power staff in Honiara to raise the funds.
“We give out sponsorship forms to individual staff and they go out and find sponsors for the 3km walk from their networks, families and friends.
“Our staff have yet to return their forms with the money they raised and we can hand them over to Dr Soma on Thursday.
“We won’t be asking for money during our walkathon, we wear our pink t-shirts and raising awareness about breast cancer,” Lilo said.
She further explained this is an initiative by staff through HSSE Department for doing this fundraising drive by walkathon sponsorship and approved by the Executive Management of Solomon Power.
Commencing on the first day of the month of October, Solomon Power staff wear pink ribbons on their t-shirts.
Each Friday of the month of October they work in any pink wear showing of Pinktober and make cancer awareness to people in the country.
Pinktober will conclude this week on Thursday which is the end of this month.
By LACHLAN SHYVES EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara
