Rotorua's Gillian Bryant knows what it's like to have a cancer scare.
She has been celebrating having stitches removed from her arm, the last remnant of successful surgery to remove a melanoma.
"I had a small mole on my arm for years and I noticed it had started to change colour." she
said.
"I went to the doctor who referred me to the hospital and I underwent surgery. The doctor later told me they were able to get all the cancerous cells out."
Ms Bryant joined several others at the Aroha Mai Cancer Support Services office recently to help make putiputi (flax flowers) for the Feel the Spirit Pink Walk on Wednesday, October 27. Funds raised from the walk will go to the Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust.
"Because I've been through the cancer scare, I want to help other people who have it worse than me like those with breast cancer," Ms Bryant said. "I was lucky and it just shows the earlier you can get things checked out the better."
"If I had left it I don't know what would have happened - it could have gone right through me.
"I intend to do the walk with my walking frame ... I'm doing it as a challenge to myself. I want to go and earn one of these [flax flowers]."
Pink Walk committee member Diane Toulmin said entries were expected to exceed 1500.
Local Girl Guides would make more of the flax flowers, she said. "We're excited about them being involved because all are daughters, sisters and all will one day be mothers themselves.
"I'm so delighted by the community support we've had because it is a community event. Although the money goes towards breast cancer it [the walk] is for all types of cancer."
