Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur along with thousands of participants walked to express solidarity with patients with cervical cancer and create awareness about the affliction among women.
Kaur flagged off the annual awareness walk, over two km, and walked the first half km herself to create awareness about cervical cancer and encourage women to see that it could be prevented through vaccination and screening.
The walk started at 8 a.m. and ended 12 p.m. in south Delhi’s Tagaore International School. It was called “Generations Walk for Awareness & Prevention of Cervical Cancer,” and organised by the Indian Cancer Society, an NGO.
The general public, cancer patients, survivors, well-wishers, young people from schools and colleges, NCC cadets and army personnel were all part of the march, which drew an enthusiastic response.
According to Indian Cancer Society, cervical cancer is the most common cancer in urban as well rural women; about 74,000 women are diagnosed with it each year.
The incidence rate rises in 30-34-year-old women, and peaks at 55-65 years.
“This is our seventh season of hosting this walk and every year we have witnessed increased participation from different sections of society,” said Jyotsna Govil, honorary secretary, Indian Cancer Society.