Edinburgh's MoonWalk returns to raise funds for breast cancer charity
Participants will trek through the capital from 9pm tonight (Saturday, 11 June) until 1pm tomorrow afternoon
Last updated 11th Jun 2022
Edinburgh's popular MoonWalk charity event is returning for the first time since before the pandemic - all to raise money for the fight against cancer.
Dressed in pink and wearing brightly decorated bras, participants will trek through the capital from 9pm tonight (Saturday, 11 June) until 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
Mum of three and GP Morag Macleod was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and will be taking part.
She told Forth News: "It's completely devastating. As a GP I've seen other patients go through a similar diagnosis.
"When it's yourself, it's a completely different ball game. I think you do go into a kind of shock. It takes a while to process it yourself before you want to talk to other people about it."
Morag will be joining thousands of walkers taking part in the event, which is split into three challenges: the Half Moon (13.1 miles), Full Moon (26.2 miles) and Over The Moon (52.4 miles).
Politicians join forces to raise money
A cross-party team of politicians will also come together to take on the Half Moon circuit to raise funds for Walk The Walk, the largest grant-making breast cancer charity in the UK.
SNP MSP Christina McKelvie will be joined by Labour's Monica Lennon, Gillian Mackay from the Scottish Greens and Christine Jardine MP from the Liberal Democrats to make up the Holyboob team.
Last year, Ms McKelvie completed treatment after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse said: "Walk The Walk does so much incredible work, from research into breast cancer to helping improve the lives of those who have cancer now and it's great to be able to help raise funding and awareness for them."
Scottish Labour MSP for the Central Scotland region Monica Lennon said: "Christina has been inspirational in her fight with breast cancer and I am delighted to be invited to join her team for the MoonWalk.
"Breast cancer doesn't care about politics, and it will be a real pleasure to be a part of the cross-party Holyboobs team as the Moonwalkers turn Edinburgh pink for the event, and all the better if we can raise a great sum for Walk The Walk."
Fellow central Scotland MSP Gillian Mackay, said: "Everyone taking part in the Moonwalk will be impacted by breast cancer in some way, I know from friends the impact a diagnosis has, not only on the person but their families too.
"That's why the work that Walk The Walk is doing to raise both funds and awareness is vital, and I am very pleased to be taking part with colleagues from across the political spectrum."
Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine said: "Breast cancer is a huge issue for me having lost an aunt to it and watched several of my friends fight it in recent years.
"After the pandemic, it is even important to be aware and doing everything we can to increase the odds of beating it.
"I don't know when I've looked forward to a walk so much or it has meant so much to me."