Walking the talk on breast cancer drive

Contributing their time and effort toward creating awareness about breast cancer, a group of expatriate women are participating in the upcoming Ladies Walk event organised by Aspire Park.
Set around the theme of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the walk will provide an opportunity for women to focus on their fitness and health, and expand their knowledge about breast cancer, prevention and treatment.
Gathering at Aspire Park on October 20, the participants of the women-only walk will cover one to two kilometre along the Aspire Park. They will then be invited to join the breast cancer awareness seminar by Qatar Cancer Society (QSC). The event is open for ladies of all ages.
“The members of our group have to register individually for participating in event at Aspire’s website and it is free. We will gather at a pre-decided point in Aspire and then participate in the walk,” Neeraja Sigatapu, the founder of Qatar Ladies Social Group, the women’s meet-up that would participate in the event, told Community.  
Sigatapu says she is expecting a good number of ladies to show up. This group for women was formed under the larger and older Qatar Families Group (QFG). “It is a smaller group only for women with more than 50-60 members. We realised it was important to take part in activities such as the Breast Cancer Awareness walk as the ladies would get useful information and tips on maintaining good health,” says Sigatapu.
After the walk and the seminar, members of the Qatar Ladies Social Group will meet over coffee in the nearby Hyatt Plaza. This, the founder says, is their regular meetup. The purpose is to meet and greet, and make new friends.
Sigatapu formed QFG aimed at anyone with families in Qatar to get together and enjoy outdoor activities, picnics, organise events for children, have dinner parties with some entertainment, long drives and attend the various events in Qatar in the form of a group.
“It is especially for those families who want to make new friends. Such gatherings will help our kids to cultivate social skills and interact with people from all walks of life. This group will help members to socialise with all irrespective of nationality or religion, and as a family unit,” says the founder.
She hopes to expand the activities to include educative and informative sessions as well and make sure that the group is not just limited to entertainment.
Sigatapu, who is the founder of many social groups, including the one for mothers and children, Doha Mums and Kids, is also organising a number of other events in the coming days during this month. At one such meetup on October 22, the members of the Qatar Families Group would meet at Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
“We will together visit the museum’s different galleries in the form of a group and witness the latest ongoing exhibitions. It is a great opportunity for the members to meet new people and to view the collections,” says Sigatapu.
The idea of the online group was formed after she realised that due to their busy routines  social interaction would remain limited to either their office friends or people from within their own community.
By creating Qatar Families Group, Sigatapu provided such people the motivation to come out of this shell and have a cross-cultural interaction outside their work environment or schools, for children.
“Qatar Families Group (QFG) is a collage depicting families from different nations, cultures and social backgrounds. Our slogan is ‘One Great Family’. Variety is the spice of life,” says Sigatapu, who realises how difficult it gets for families to make time for such activities yet how important it is.
She believes it would also help children in adjusting to culturally different atmospheres besides cultivating in them qualities that would help them in their future. Children would get a chance to develop social skills and interact with people from all walks of life.
Sigatapu says she tries to cater to all the needs and interests of the members of the group even if it means finding and participating in activities organised by any other similar social groups. There is also a meetup designed for children’s activities coming up at Souq Waqif play area tomorrow.