Appeal for MoonWalkers to help beat breast cancer

Scotland on Sunday is celebrating a decade of partnership with The MoonWalk Scotland as organisers have issued a rallying call for walkers to take part in this year's jungle-themed event.

Thousands of walkers wearing pink bras took part in last years MoonWalk. Picture: Neil Hanna

The 2017 MoonWalk, which is due to take place overnight on Saturday, 10 June, will see participants – many of them wearing jungle safari-decorated bras – hike up to 52 miles to raise money for people suffering from breast cancer.

The event, which will be sponsored by Scotland on Sunday for the tenth year, takes in a route past Edinburgh landmarks including Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill and St Giles’ Cathedral.

Nina Barough, founder and chief executive of Walk the Walk, paid tribute to The Scotsman’s 200 years in print, which was celebrated last month.

She said: “A huge congratulations to all the team at The Scotsman on reaching their 200th anniversary. Walk the Walk are delighted to have shared a small part of this journey and to be celebrating ten years of a wonderful media partnership with Scotland on Sunday. We look forward to another successful year of uniting against breast cancer by MoonWalking in Scotland.”

The annual event has attracted 80,000 people, helping to raise more than £19.6 million for causes including the Maggie’s Centre at Gartnavel, Glasgow, and the new centre being built at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. It has also funded the renovation of Ward 6, a new theatre and renovation of the Mammography Unit at the Breast Cancer Institute at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.

Barough added: “The MoonWalk Scotland is a magical night when determination, inspiration touched with the extraordinary unite to raise much needed awareness about the importance of breast care and to raise money for those with cancer in Scotland.

“It is one of the most emotional moments of the year for me, when I see thousands of women, men and children coming together from far and wide to get fit and have fun whilst doing good for others.”

Open to people aged ten and over, walkers can take on one of four challenges: the 6.55 mile New Moon route; the Half Moon, which sees MoonWalkers take in the half marathon distance of 13.1 miles; the Full Moon route, which takes walkers on a 26.2 mile hike around the capital; or Over The Moon, which will see participants walk 52.4 miles in one night.

Ian Stewart, editor of Scotland on Sunday, said: “The MoonWalk is a spectacular event, which has gone from strength to strength over the past decade.

“We are delighted to be part of it and are looking forward to seeing this year’s walk prove to be as successful as the previous nine have been.”

Most of the money raised from the MoonWalk stays in Scotland to help improve the lives of people with cancer now.

About 4,600 women and men in Scotland are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Adult walkers are asked to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship.