A week to the event,the Medical Women Association of Nigeria invited us for a cancer walk on Saturday 3rd of Feb.
We used the last week to get things in place.
The company we ordered our LED lighted balloons and skylanterns just notified us that they were out of stock for those items.
We had to search for alternatives and we found them at double the sum. It was annoying however but the commitee paid again.
We just prayed for no more hitches.
We decided to put on customised polos as commitee members which I was to handle.
After payment two weeks before the supposed collection date.
I went with my partner on the set date and time to collect the polos and found out that the producer hadn't started customising them.
This was Thursday and the event was on Monday.We had to distribute those polos before weekend.The man in charge apologised and promised to deliver it the next day. Due to his rush work,he made some mistakes in the printing.
We didn't mind at that time,just give us polo to wear.
I forgot to add that in addition to all our plans,we started an online cancer campaign on social media,facebook, whatsapp,instagram and twitter.
We would post,reply to questions, console and advice.
The planning process was really stressful.
Having to attend lectures and practicals from 8am to 6pm and then meetings and visit places to make things done wasn't easy.
The only consolation was that the event was a huge success.
ABOUT THE EVENT
On Saturday, we joined the Medical women association in thier cancer walk.
We walked round the Uyo metropolis in Akwa Ibom telling people about cancer.
We entered the market too to talk to market men,women and children.
On Sunday,we visited the three churches and talked about cancer.
The response from the audience was thrilling.
I was glad that phase went well.
For our main event,the Cancer awareness campaign on 5th Feb which was a walk, this is what happened.
The 5th of Feb is my first brother's birthday.
It really was a special day for me.
Throughout that day,my mind was on getting everything set for the cancer walk.
I had to make sure the helium gas and balloon sticks arrived that afternoon after school before the cancer walk would start in the evening.
Thank God it was half day of school that day for us.
Thanks to our dear Dean or well,NASU strike too.
I branched the house in the process to eat food before i faint😂 and wish my brother a happy birthday.
It was his first birthday with us after almost 7 years in another man's land.
I sneaked out again to ensure all was done.
As I arrived back in school,when the event was to start,the DJ was nowhere to be found.
Students turned up in mass, we waited for over an hour and at that point,we began loosing hope.
Almost 1000 students and no DJ or van to give us nice music for the walk.
Students started loosing hope and going away as it was getting dark.
More students started identifying all the organisers by thier tHERAHUB polo and ranting.
All I could do was give them hope.
When we almost gave up we saw the van and DJ coming.I screamed so much that I almost missed my voice.
The van gave the remaining students hope.
We started distributing the baloons and placards we made almost immediately.
The placards took us 7hours to design on Saturday after the first walk we had.
I was informed that I would have to anchor the event,to do most of the serious talking while some other guy would be giving us the jokes.
Due to my researches and online campaigns already,though I was not well prepared,I had a lot of stuff in my head.
I stepped into the van and got the mic and as I was about to talk,I realised the mic was not working..hmmmm..
See temptation!
My commitee member, Emmanuel Otihi, who happened to be a technical director in his church ran to do the necessary fixup and connection and get it to work.
Everyone had a reason to be angry.
Suddenly,the van was on and moving with music and intervals of talking.