New Delhi: Hundreds of Delhiites led by Prime
Minister's wife Gursharan Kaur and Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit walked a 4.5-km stretch on Sunday to raise awareness for
cancer and show solidarity with the people afflicted with the
dreaded disease.
The 'Walk for Life', an annual initiative, was flagged
off by Kaur and saw the participation of nearly 5000 people.
Among those who were part of the walk, the third one held
in three years, were Dikshit and actors Sharmila Tagore and
Rahul Bose, besides US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer.
"In our country, 10 lakh people are diagnosed with cancer
every year and as such its incidence is on the rise in South
Asia," said a spokesperson of Can Support that organised the
walk in association with the American Center and Max India
Foundation.
Besides, this is also a symbolic way of showing
solidarity with those affected by cancer and to raise funds
for palliative and supportive care services for people with
cancer, she said.
The participants walked over a 4.5 km stretch starting
from Vinay Marg.
"This is a way to involve common people and make them
aware by talking about cancer," the spokesperson said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 07, 2010, 17:58