Local Focus: Rotorua's virtual Pink Walk for breast cancer

The annual Pink Walk in support of Breast Cancer Month looked a little different this year.

Rather than gathering at the Rotorua lakefront for a few hours in the evening, participants created a sea of pink all over Rotorua throughout the day.

People were encouraged to wear pink to their workplaces, schools and around home, and to go for a walk that is on average 3km some time during the day — the regular Pink Walk is 3.4km.

There were roving Pink Judges around the city throughout the day, with spot prizes for registered people in pink.

Businesses, schools and organisations could also enter the Paint the Town Pink category where they decorated their office, shop, classroom and themselves pink on the day.

The Pink Judges paid them a visit, took a photo of the entries, and took it back to the trustees for voting.

Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust chair Myrtle Colbert says the annual walk helps raise awareness as well as funds to help women with breast cancer.

She says she has had breast cancer twice.

"I got it for the first time in 2013.

"I had a double mastectomy, thinking that would be the cure of it, but this year again I had it back.

"So I've had the operation and been through the treatment and hopefully I'm on the other side."

The walk is in its thirteenth year and is well supported by local businesses.

Kaiako Sherryl Smith, of Kids.Com.Educare, has been an avid supporter and together with staff and the children, they decorated their centre pink.

"I've been doing the walk since it started here in Rotorua," she says.

"I had melanoma twice but then three years ago my sister had breast cancer, so I just think breast cancer is an important cause to support for women and it's good to be able to bring it into the centre and have the community support us as well."

October is Breast Cancer Month and a time to support women battling cancer.