Beth Bailey called the walk healing.
“I lost my mother to cancer in 2016,” said Bailey, who lives in Griffin, Ga., but she drove three hours just to take part in the Georgia Cancer Center Unite in the Fight Against Cancer Walk Saturday around the Augusta University Health Sciences Campus.
Her mother was treated at Emory University, but her physician was Dr. Anand Jillella, professor in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Medical College of Georgia.
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Bailey, whose work brings her in contact with staff at the Georgia Cancer Center, said events such as Saturday’s walk have aided her grief process.
About 250 people volunteered or participated in the event which was first held in 2018.
“While plenty of events are focused around one cancer, the Georgia Cancer Center developed this 1.5-mile walk to bring attention to all 28 cancers treated by our multidisciplinary teams. While the event honors cancer survivors, many participants will be walking in memory of a loved one or friend that passed away from cancer. The Georgia Cancer Center will use the money raised by individuals and teams to improve the level of care and support services provided to all patients,” according to a news release.
Cesar Brooks is one cancer survivor who expressed his gratitude for the Georgia Cancer Center.
Brooks was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in 2014.
“The medication they gave me wasn’t even available five years before,” said Brooks who is cancer-free, but will be on cancer medicine the rest of his life.
Had he been diagnosed five years before, his survival rate would’ve been far less.
Also joining walkers were Jillella and Dr. Jorge Cortes, director of the Georgia Cancer Center.
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Cortes said the event was designed to raise awareness and funds for cancer as well as “to celebrate – in a way – the courage of the patients and families and to recognize them.”
In addition to people, there were some four-legged walkers participating including several dogs and a baby goat named Chip.
Geri Whitaker brought the 6-week-old goat along.
Whitaker works as the interim clinical finance manager at the Georgia Cancer Center and wanted to participate in the walk because of the patients she sees and the struggles they encounter.
She got choked up when she talked about them.
“I didn’t get to participate the past two years, but I did help to support it and raise money,” she said.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
