Cancer awareness walk supports local programs
Published 6:17 pm Friday, September 16, 2022
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Healing Chapel Baptist Church and Metropolitan Baptist Church hold the seventh annual Cancer Awareness Walk Oct. 22 in support of Sentara Obici Auxiliary “Nobody Fights Alone” in Suffolk and Daniel’s Grace Charitable Foundation in Virginia Beach.
The event is set for 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 22 at Healing Chapel Baptist Church, 2375 Godwin Blvd., Suffolk. The registration donation is $10 per person.
Sharon Daughtrey, one of the event organizers, said it began when her sister Michelle Faulk and her best friend Roseanna Boone — a cousin of Monica Lassiter who also helped create the awareness walk — both were diagnosed with cancer.
Daughtrey said they both benefited from Obici Foundation’s No One Fights Alone program. “The nurse navigator worked diligently with us, assisting with finances and gas cards to get them both to treatment, traveling to VCU in Richmond, assisting with household bills, just making sure they had what they needed,” she said. “We were so inspired by their contributions we wanted to assist in making sure they had funds to continue helping others.”
Lassiter and Daughtrey both attended a cancer walk in another city, which led them to bring awareness of cancer to Suffolk along with providing support to an organization that gives and supports those who live in the community.
“Both our relatives lost their battle to cancer, Daughtrey said. “That loss heightened our desire to raise money to donate to this organization so other people in our community could benefit from the services of No One Fights Alone.”
Lassiter attends Healing Chapel Baptist Church where the Rev. Morris Almond is pastor, while Daughtrey said she attends Metropolitan Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dr. Robert Hobbs as pastor).
She said that both of their pastors support this mission and participate eagerly.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 22. Participants chose to walk one or two miles on a path that begins and ends at Healing Chapel Baptist with the walk going to Elephants Fork Elementary School. Water and a snack will be provided.
A speaker from Sentara Obici is set to speak with participants and provide them information about cancer prevention and care, Daughtrey said.
Cancer Awareness T-shirts are available for $15 each. She said anyone can order a T-shirt ahead of time by contacting either church.
All donations and funds raised at the event go to “No One Fights Alone” and “Daniel’s Grace,” another organization supporting the needs of cancer victims.
Daughtrey said committee members do solicit donations from various vendors and the event has enjoyed participation of more than 100 community members each year who walk for cancer awareness.
She invites everyone to please join us in their efforts — churches, sororities, fraternities, schools, families and friends. Those who know someone whose life has been affected by cancer also are asked to participate.
For information, contact a cancer committee member or contact church offices at 757-539-2696 or 757-809-4220.