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Every year, Europa Donna Cyprus brings people together in Nicosia to walk in support of cancer patients, remember those lost and call for better care. Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 3, its 22nd Pink Silhouette March will begin at the Old GSP, with participants gathering at 5 p.m.
This year, one of the cause’s most familiar voices has sent a particularly personal message.
Stella Kyriakides, the former European commissioner for health and a longstanding cancer patient advocate, is receiving treatment for a recently diagnosed gynecological cancer. In a social media message Friday, she urged others to take part, even if she cannot walk alongside them.
“This year, more than ever, I feel how important it is for us to be there,” she said.
Kyriakides called for people to stand together for prevention and treatment and every woman and man facing cancer, sending a shared message of strength, support, and hope.
“I may not be there with my footsteps, but I will certainly be there with all my heart.”
For Kyriakides, Europa Donna Cyprus’ honorary president, the cause has long been personal as well as public. At the announcement of this year’s march, she stressed the need for specialist centers, teams bringing together different medical disciplines and care that addresses each woman’s needs. She also highlighted the organization’s role in speaking for women who may not have the strength or opportunity to demand that care themselves.
Her latest appeal is a reminder of what the annual gathering means beyond its pink silhouettes: showing up for someone who may be unable to show up themselves.
For families here, cancer can mean appointments, anxious waits, and the practical challenge of keeping everyday life going through treatment. The march gives patients, relatives, and friends a chance to stand together and keeps the need for accessible, quality care in public view.
Those joining tomorrow should gather at the renovated Old GSP in Nicosia at 5 p.m. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 5:15 p.m., followed by the walk to Alpha Bank Cyprus’ headquarters at the corner of Spyrou Kyprianou and Themistokli Dervi streets. The event is expected to finish around 7 p.m.
