FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- The "Do It In Pink" aerobathon continued to grow this year as men, women and children came out at Fort Jackson to support breast cancer awareness.
"The main mission of the aerobathon is to bring awareness to breast cancer, the importance of getting screenings on a regular basis, and prevention in the form of exercise and screenings that can help with early detection," said Pamela Long, fitness coordinator for Fort Jackson Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. "And, if breast cancer is something that has already affected your life, it's an opportunity for you to see that we, as a community, believe in awareness and prevention."
Saturday's event attracted more than 200 people. The participants wore pink to show their support of breast cancer awareness, and took part in three hours of exercise events. It was the third annual event hosted by FMWR.
"I didn't see anybody that wasn't in pink," said Harry Williams, FMWR aerobics instructor. "We had one unit of Soldiers dressed in pink. It was a great success. Hopefully, it will get bigger and better every year."
"The unit stayed the entire threehour duration of the aerobathon," Long said. "Each year it continues to grow. It means the word is getting out. All we saw was a sea of pink. And it wasn't just women, but men, too."
Williams said the aerobathon offered "non-stop" activity that kept participants moving.
"There were some high impact movements, but then there was also line dancing, which is low impact," he said. "People loved it."
"We want to increase community awareness of breast cancer and the screening tools they use," said Maj. Daisy Wilson, chief of Army Public Health Nursing for Moncrief Army Community Hospital. "We want to make people aware of preventative measures they can take, such as diet and exercise."
"Knowledge is the key," Wilson, said. "In the future, I would like to see us reach out to folks not only at Fort Jackson, but outside the installation, too."
Another breast cancer awareness event on Fort Jackson is scheduled for Oct. 19. A 5K run/walk begins at 9 a.m. that morning at Hilton Field Softball Complex.
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