Visually Impaired Walkers Raise $1,500 To Fight Breast Cancer On Long Island

ISLANDIA, NY — Roughly two dozen blind and visually impaired Long Islanders raised $1,500 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month by participating in a five-mile charity walk around the Helen Keller Services (HKS) building on World Sight Day 2021, which was in October.

HKS is a Long Island-based nonprofit that offers programs and services for the DeafBlind Community, it wrote in a news release. The nonprofit chose World Sight Day, an international day of awareness that focuses attention on the global issue of eye health, to raise awareness for both the blind community and breast cancer detection and prevention.

Participating walkers, all of whom are legally blind, wore tie-dyed shirts they made themselves and used their walking canes, seeing-eye dogs and other techniques to navigate an approximately five-mile, four-loop trip around the office building where the HKS Health & Wellness Program holds its regular courses. The courses include Dance Movement Therapy, Art therapy, Yoga, Fitness, Nutrition and Aromatherapy.

Some walkers were accompanied by friends or family members in the event.

Funds raised during the walk are earmarked for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides for Breast Cancer Movement.