Pink Wave Hits Pointe-Noire Streets
A long pink ribbon of runners and walkers brightened Pointe-Noire’s coastline last Sunday, closing the nationwide “Pink October” campaign with energy and music. Around 200 people, dressed in rose-white T-shirts, gathered before sunrise to turn exercise into a statement of hope against cancer.
The initiative came from Élan de cœur, a young local non-profit born in 2022. Its volunteers wanted to end the month-long awareness drive with a tangible act, reminding residents that early prevention needs daily movement as much as it needs medical equipment.
Under the slogan “One step for life, one step against cancer”, the crowd stretched over 8.5 kilometres, guided by whistle-blowing stewards and escorted by city police. Passing taxis slowed down, passengers waved, and shop owners filmed the colourful passage on their phones.
Route Highlighted City Landmarks
The route spotlighted some of the oil capital’s emblematic spots, starting from the wild coast’s Atlantic spray before cutting onto Charles-de-Gaulle Avenue. From La Citronnelle restaurant to the Maison Sans Frontières centre, onlookers lined balconies, many tapping pans to cheer the athletes.
The caravan then veered past Elais, Kactus and the seafront Casino, weaving through morning traffic without incident. Gendarmes at Mpita crossroads secured the busiest intersections, allowing children and seniors to maintain rhythm without sudden stops that could spoil the collective momentum.
After circling the prison wall and the roundabout, participants turned onto Nguéli-Nguéli, crossed the dusty ACL pitch, greeted vendors at Kwiza, and finally sprinted back to the shoreline for a cool-down stretch. Smartphones measured calories burned; organisers measured the growing public curiosity.
Doctors Stress Early Detection
Once heart rates slowed, a short medical talk replaced the music speakers. Dr Rock Armand Doukaga, head of gynaecology at Adolphe Cissé Hospital, used a foam model to show self-examination techniques and reminded listeners that palpation costs nothing yet can save everything.
“If you feel a lump, do not panic but do not postpone,” he insisted, stressing that Pointe-Noire’s hospitals now offer subsidised ultrasounds every Wednesday. According to the doctor, most late diagnoses he sees arrive after months of silence provoked by fear or stigma.
Congo’s Health Ministry estimates that breast cancer accounts for one in four female tumours nationwide, yet screening remains below 25 per cent in coastal districts. Campaigns like Pink October aim to narrow that gap by meeting women in markets, churches and, this week, on jogging paths.
Community Spirit Driving Change
At the finishing line, Élan de cœur president Nadine Hounsinou Ngari thanked every participant, saying each bead of sweat represented solidarity. She emphasised that the fight is not only medical but social, involving husbands, brothers and employers who can encourage regular check-ups.
Several businesses contributed T-shirts, water and fruit, turning the march into a mini street fair. Local DJ Karlos kept rhythms high with Congolese rumba hits, while volunteer nurses offered free blood pressure tests under a tent painted with bright awareness slogans.
For many newcomers, the convivial atmosphere broke a taboo. Mireille Mvoula, 29, admitted she had never discussed breast health with her mother. “Seeing men walk beside us shows it is a family matter,” she said, clutching the event’s pink wristband like a diploma.
Sports and Health Connection
Sports clubs from the city seized the opportunity to link regular training with disease prevention. Coaches from Dragons Basketball and AS Cheminots Football set up sign-up sheets, arguing that continuous physical activity lowers overall cancer risk and reinforces discipline among younger members.
City Hall’s sports department, represented by deputy director Michel Gogbama, announced that monthly wellness walks could be integrated into the municipal calendar “to keep the pink wave rolling all year”. He highlighted the growing demand for safe, family-friendly outdoor events.
Security forces echoed that point, noting zero incidents despite the length of the course. Their spokesperson credited clear signage and early communication on social networks, a model that future cultural or charitable parades could replicate to avoid traffic snarls and guarantee inclusion.
Next Step Toward 2025 Edition
Looking ahead, Élan de cœur wants to double participation by 2025 and extend activities to Dolisie and Brazzaville. Fund-raising breakfasts, school debates and mobile screening clinics are already pencilled in, with local influencers pledging to amplify each step online.
The organisation will also lobby for expanded insurance coverage on diagnostic tests, arguing that early detection ultimately reduces public spending on advanced treatments. Talks with the Ministry of Social Affairs begin next month, according to sources close to the negotiation table.
As the sun set on the wild coast, participants dispersed with tired legs but lighter spirits. In the sand they had traced a giant pink ribbon, soon erased by waves yet immortalised on thousands of smartphones—a reminder that collective action leaves prints even after tides shift.
