The Right Worshipful, the Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea, Councillor Penny Matthews, will open Sarcoma UK’s first Rare But Real walk in Wales this Saturday, helping to bring national attention to sarcoma, a rare cancer many people have never heard of.
About 5,900 people in the UK are diagnosed with sarcoma every year, yet it remains largely unknown, including among some medical professionals.
The walk is expected to be attended by more than 100 people, many of whom have been affected by the disease. It will bring together patients, relatives and medical professionals.
Also attending the opening will be popular Welsh opera singer Mark Llewelyn Evans, who will serenade the walkers to start them off.
The walk takes place at 11 am on Saturday 22 August, starting at Swansea Cenotaph overlooking Swansea Beach, with participants choosing between a 5km family-friendly route or a longer 10km challenge along the stunning Swansea Bay coastline.
Sarcoma is a rare form of cancer that can develop in the bone, muscle, fat, blood vessels or other connective tissue, anywhere in the body. Despite affecting thousands of people across the UK every year, awareness, diagnosis and treatment options continue to lag behind those of more common cancers.
By opening this year’s Welsh debut of the walk, the Lord Mayor is helping give sarcoma the public platform it rarely receives.
Speaking ahead of the event on Saturday, Lord Mayor Councillor Penny Matthews said: ‘I’m delighted to be opening Sarcoma UK’s first ever Rare But Real walk in Wales and welcoming everyone to Swansea for this special event. It’s inspiring to see so many people coming together to support those affected by sarcoma and help raise awareness of a cancer that too often goes unrecognised. I wish every participant the very best for the walk and thank them for helping to raise Sarcoma’s profile so that it is seen, heard and better understood.’
Louisa Morgan, Fundraising Manager at Sarcoma UK, said: ‘Bringing Rare But Real to Wales for the first time is a really special moment for us. Sarcoma is a cancer so many people have never even heard of, and that silence has real consequences; it means late diagnoses, it means families feeling alone, it means research going underfunded. Every single person who walks along Swansea Bay on 22 August, whether it’s 5km or 10km, is helping to break that silence. This isn’t just a walk; it’s Wales standing up and saying sarcoma will not be ignored any longer.’
Sarcoma UK’s message for this year’s walks is simple: most cancer charities ask people to walk. Sarcoma UK is asking people to be seen. Each participant will walk with the name of someone they are walking for, whether that’s a loved one lost to sarcoma, someone currently living with the disease, or the wider sarcoma community as a whole.
Participants have been encouraged to raise a sponsorship pledge of £100 to support Sarcoma UK’s work funding research, providing support to patients and families, and campaigning for better, faster diagnosis. Every walker will receive a Rare But Real Walk t-shirt and a medal at the finish line.
To register for the Swansea walk on 22 August, visit sarcoma.org.uk/get-involved/rare-but-real/rare-but-real-register-swansea/
