Cape Town - Community activists are hoping to raise awareness of breast cancer among young boys and men through conversations and their love of football.
On the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a soccer tournament was held to raise awareness in boys and men, over the weekend.
On Saturday, about 100 people attended the tournament held at the Ascot Lane park in Malibu Village. Ten teams, five per side, participated in the tournament, a collaborative initiative by the Inter Malibu Futsal Club and Learning In Lockdown.
Organiser Jason Thomas said: “The tournament was about spreading awareness about breast cancer through sports and education. It involved speakers to educate the youth about breast cancer.”
On why a soccer tournament was held to promote breast cancer awareness targeted at young boys, he said: “Soccer is the most prevalent sport in our community that most youth enjoy playing on a daily basis.”
Thomas with the Glued-Hands Goalkeeping have been hosting young boys from Blue Down. They have been providing mentoring and soccer coaching in parks and fields. This has since been placed on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Inter Malibu Futsal Club co-founder, Keenan Smith said: “It was a good day. The community was involved and the boys enjoyed the football.”
Saturday’s initiative was inspired by the Zonny’s Love Box Project. This is an annual campaign to provide individually made boxes filled with vital hygiene products and extra feel-good items to cancer patients at Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic.
The project was started by Zondelia Lombard-Swartz, fondly referred to as Zonny, who herself was a breast cancer patient. Zonny passed away on September 8 last year. However the project continues through the efforts of her loved ones.
Elwyn Hansby-Consul of Zonny’s Love Box Project said: “When Keenan heard about the Zonny’s Love Box Project he asked me whether we could do something with the boys.
“There’s no awareness about breast cancer in the community so through hosting Saturday's tournament we got to educate them about breast cancer and give them a fun day playing the game they love.”
Cape Argus