Pinkathon: 10, 000 run for breast cancer awareness

In an effort to create awareness for Breast Cancer, around 10,000 women ran the ‘Pinkathon’ in Bangalore. This was the third edition of the SBI Pinkathon – Empowering Indian Women and started at the Kanteerava Stadium, in the city. The participants of the event could chose to run 3 km, five km, 10 km or 21 km.

In 2014, Pinkathon saw around 5000 women participate and had predicted the number to be double this time, which turned out to be accurate. The event also saw B Dayananda, Traffic Police Commissioner and Rajni Mishra, CGM, IHO from SBI also took part in the event. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Founder and MD, Biocon, also arrived to show her support.

The highlight of the event, however, were about 100 mothers of new-born babies, who ran with their children strapped on to them. As a part of special categories, 20 cancer survivors, 30 visually impaired girls and 20 hearing and speech impaired girls also participated in the event. Registrations required a fee of Rs. 600 per head and a part of this will be passed on to Women's Cancer Initiative.

Milind Soman, who flagged off the event told the Deccan Herald, “It is the beginning of a movement carried forward by a growing community of empowered women across India, who share a belief that a healthy family, a healthy nation and a healthy world begins with empowered women. The first step in empowerment is taking control of your own health, respecting yourself and understanding and celebrating the value you bring to your family and society.”

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