On Friday, October 27, 2023, Sheriff Morris A. Young held his 8th Annual Breast Cancer Walk.
This years’ walk began at the Piggly-Wiggly in Quincy and headed down Jefferson St. (United States Highway 90) to the Gadsden County Courthouse Square, with a rest stop in the old IGA parking lot.
Sheriff Young began this tradition years ago as a way to help bring awareness to the deadly disease. This annual walk not only includes survivors and family members of survivors, but other community partners like staff from the women’s prison and the Gadsden Re-Entry Center also joined in with other citizens who just wanted to show their support for a worthy and important cause.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer accounts for roughly 12.5% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, making it the most common cancer in the world. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States for black and Hispanic women. Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, following lung cancer, for Asian and Pacific Islander women, American Indian and Alaska Native women, and white women.
It affects men too. Although the numbers are significantly lower, a man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 833.
The crowd was excited and energetic as they walked down Jefferson Street singing and repeating chants against cancer. Sheriff Young even jogged at one point. To lead the group, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office employees decorated a Bobcat utility side-by-side vehicle that was donated by Leppo Rents in Midway.
The side-by-side was decorated pink all over and included a banner for anyone who wanted to sign in honor of a survivor or a loved one lost to breast cancer.
“We all have been affected personally or know someone personally who has been affected by this horrible disease,” said Sheriff Morris A. Young. “This disease kills many people annually and I encourage folks to get screened, especially if you have a history of it in your family or feel something abnormal. That goes for both women and men. This disease does not discriminate. That’s part of why this is so important to me.”
Alongside Sheriff Young in the walk was his wife, Kathy Young, members of the sheriff’s office staff, and other current and former community leaders.
Years ago the walk would span from one end of the county to the other.
Sheriff Young announced that next year’s walk will go back to being the full approximate 32-mile trek across the county.
Chris Daniels – Gadsden County News Service
