2013 Candles for Life Walkathon draws over 350 participants
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
2013 Copyright Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Eagle Pass Candles for Life 2013 Walkathon held on Sunday, October 20, 2013, at the Maverick County Hospital District, located at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive, in Eagle Pass, Texas was a great success as over 350 persons participated and walked to raise funds for Maverick County, Texas cancer patients, announced Mary D. Hughes, Chairperson of the 2013 Candles for Life Walkathon.
With the month of October designated as National Breast Cancer Prevention Month, Candles for Life hosted the 2013 Walkathon with the purpose of raising funds to assist Maverick County cancer patients defray some of their expenses while undergoing medical treatment at local and out-of-town cancer prevention and treatment facilities.
Local school children from kindergarten to high school, college students, men and women, parents, grandparents, and great grandparents participated in the 2013 Candles for Life Walkathon because cancer does not respect a person’s age nor gender. Cancer afflicts all members of society. Over 50 Maverick County cancer survivors attended and participated this year in honoring those loved ones who succumbed to cancer by lighting “Luminarias” in memoriam. The Walkathon included entire families as cancer affects both the patient and his or her family. A complete family response and support is needed to help one’s loved one afflicted with cancer to battle and survive the disease.
“All of the proceeds raised from the Candles for Life Walkathon are dedicated to assisting Eagle Pass and Maverick Cancer patients with some of their expenses while battling the disease,” said Ani Santleben, a Board of Director of Candles for Life. “Local individuals, businesses, and organizations may still make charitable donations to Candles for Life throughout the year at our office located at the Maverick County Hospital District at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive and by telephone at (830) 757-4907,” added Santleben.
The 2013 Candles for Life Walkathon was full of energy, hope, and solemn. Local cancer survivors participation reminded our community that cancer can be beat with early screening and detection. The Maverick County Hospital District offers the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program for women in Eagle Pass and Maverick County to get either free or low cost clinical breast examinations, mammograms, pelvic tests, and Pap tests at its office located at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive in Eagle Pass, said Mary D. Hughes, Director of the MCHD Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.
Eagle Passans and Maverick Countians also need to know that our community now has a local cancer treatment center or oncology center at the Maverick County Hospital District without having to travel out of town to receive this medical treatment. The Maverick County Hospital District’s Oncology Center offers three oncologist doctors and professional staff to treat local cancer patients. For more information, please call (830) 773-1460.
