10 Oct 2025

For Ms Mpinie Olopeng of Palapye, breast cancer awareness is more than just a campaign, it is a personal mission fueled by love, loss and a deep desire to help others.

Ms Olopeng lost her mother to cancer in 2015, just three months after she was diagnosed. The late detection still weighs heavily on her heart.

“Had it been found earlier, my mother would probably be alive today, watching her suffer in those final days made it impossible for me to sit back and pretend nothing happened,” she shared.

Now, 10 years on, Ms Olopeng has turned her pain into purpose.

This year marks the fourth year she has organised a breast cancer walk with camping, an initiative aimed at spreading awareness, encouraging early screening, and offering emotional and material support to those battling cancer.

She explained that each year, Mpinie’s walk gathers supporters from all walks of life.

Along the route, she collects donations, primarily toiletries and hygiene essentials, which she delivers to cancer patients receiving palliative care, in partnership with the local DHMT office.

“Cancer patients need extra hygiene care, for instance, when a breast is removed, there may be bleeding that requires daily sheet changes and clean environments,” she explained.

By focusing on practical needs, Ms Olopeng ensures her support goes beyond words, directly easing the burden on patients and their caregivers.

Driven by a dream to reach every corner of Botswana, Ms Olopeng takes the walk to a different village each year.

“The year before last we were in Kanye, last year in Mogobane, and this year I have chosen a new location,” she said.

Her mobile awareness campaign not only highlights the importance of regular check-ups but also builds a sense of community among those affected by cancer. She emphasised that no one should walk their cancer journey alone.

“It’s been 10 years since my mother passed, but I still feel connected to her. Through this love, I want to remind Batswana that love and support go a long way,” said Ms Olopeng.

Ms Olopeng urged everyone, especially women to take breast cancer seriously.

“We must check ourselves regularly and go for screenings. If cancer is found early, it can be treated, but if ignored, it can take lives, as it did my mother’s,” said Ms Olopeng

With October marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ms Olopeng’s message resonates deeply that early detection saves lives, and collective action can make a difference.

She will be having her annual Mpinie’s Breast Cancer awareness walk combined with camping at Mogobane over the weekend starting October 10 to 12, where together with her over the border counterparts such as Gasegonyana Taung, Ditsamaanaga and Take a Hike from South Africa will host education and encouragement to survivors and the sick. ENDS