LAST Sunday, Rodelsa Cirlce (Paseo del Rio) was filled to the rafters of party people in pink. They all braved the pouring rain to came together to dance for a good cause, in the first ever Pink Zumba in CDO for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was spearheaded by Honey Mangubat, a breast cancer survivor, who battled the disease alone while working as an OFW in Doha, Qatar.
The event was organized for the advocacy of encouragement, compassion, and awareness. Those who attended the dance party with their squads came in pink shirts to show support for those in treatment or to remember loved ones whose lives were lost to cancer.
Noteworthy, survivors and supporters came all the way from Ozamiz and Iligan to grace the event. It was a very emotional and inspiring moment seeing the community come together to champion such an amazing cause. It became more than a fund raising event but a fellowship!
Honey shared with a smile: “The pink party people who participated in this year’s Pink Zumba made this event successful! The rain did not stop us from dancing in our fight against breast cancer. We even fought the rain, and we did not let it dampen our spirits. Despite the weather condition, we all showed up and still managed to dance our hearts out. We never lost hope, and we sustained because we have faith. As old folks say, "when it rains, it pours" and for me it definitely pours blessings! So cheers to more and more years of Pink Zumba.”
Furthermore, Honey would like to thank everyone for their trust, most especially those who were generous in sponsoring the event. She said: “Thank you for believing that I can make this happen. So many friends came to show their support also. This motivates me to do even better for next year’s event. Again, I would like to thank everyone for making me an inspiration that there is more to life after breast cancer.”
A few of CDO’s top ZINs (certified by the Zumba Instructor Network) graced the event, namely: Winston Fuentes, Robert Lopez, Jonathan Ruelan, Boyet Maandig, and Ronnie Olaer. Honey considers it a great honor to dance among these amazing top-notch instructors. She also got to move and groove with her closest Zumba friends. On top of that, she was able to make new friends who all shared the same passion for dance. After all, it’s more fun to ditch the workout and join the party!
Honey said: “There was nothing but love and care from everyone there. When they played the song ‘I will survive’, they all asked me to go the front to lead the dance. It was really poignant for all of us who were there that battled the disease. All of us have our own stories to tell. And breast cancer does not only affect the survivor, but it also affects families. We are definitely all survivors, who not just survive but also thrive!”
There were several media channels that covered Pink Zumba such as ABS-CBN’s Pamahaw Espesyal morning segment and the Hope International Channel. Publicity-wise, the organizers have succeeded in generating awareness for breast cancer. Honey added: “More than that, the very main goal and objective is for people to see that breast cancer survivors are happy people. Again, it is worth repeating, there is more to life after cancer. So we dance to inspire others to be happy.
We dance to motivate others to dance. We dance to show that hope is never lost!”
“Congratulations to all of us. Everyone’s overwhelming response, messages, and wishes show that indeed with love and support, we can make things happen. And of course, with God, nothing is really impossible. The credit for Pink Zumba’s triumph is not mine. It is all of YOU who made this successful. Until the next Pink Zumba,” Honey concluded with a giant smile!
May this endeavor serve as a reminder for all of us to take care of our health because, as cliché as it may sound, it is wealth. Zumba fitness is a terrific and fun exercise that’s good for the heart. Most importantly, do not forget to do monthly breast self examination (BSE). And if you are a woman who is over 40, a mammogram in the doctor’s clinic is a must to nip cancer in the bud! Early detection is key so we all “cancer-vive”.
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