Residents of all ages gathered at Central Park on Friday, October 30th, for the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk through downtown San Pedro. Participants included representatives from the San Pedro Lions Club, Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, the island’s Health Department, the San Pedro Police Formation and the San Pedro Town Council, along with students and athletes.
The walk began shortly after 6PM, heading north along Barrier Reef Drive before turning onto Pescador Drive. Led by the San Pedro Traffic Department and the San Pedro High School marching band, participants circled the San Juan Roundabout before returning along Pescador Drive to Central Park. Many wore pink shirts and carried banners promoting breast cancer awareness and highlighting the importance of early detection.
Following the walk, participants gathered at Central Park, where Councilor Marina Kay and other organizers thanked everyone for supporting the annual event. Kay emphasized the seriousness of breast cancer and encouraged women to keep up with their health checks.
Mammograms are X-rays of the breast that can detect breast cancer before a lump can be felt or symptoms develop. Women should discuss the appropriate screening schedule with a healthcare provider based on their age, personal history, and individual risk. When an abnormality is detected, further testing may include a biopsy, in which doctors remove cells or tissue and examine them to determine whether cancer is present.
Breast cancer develops when abnormal cells in breast tissue grow uncontrollably. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts, which carry milk from the milk-producing glands, known as lobules, to the nipple. Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type, while invasive lobular carcinoma begins in the lobules. Lobular carcinoma is more likely than other types to occur in both breasts. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare, aggressive form that can cause swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected breast.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s Global Cancer Observatory, breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer among women in Belize in 2024. Its GLOBOCAN estimates indicate 89 new cases that year, accounting for approximately 40.3% of new cancer cases among women in the country.