Parkside Vets takes on 13-mile walk for breast cancer charity

A veterinary team is embarking on a 13-mile walk to honour colleagues and raise money for charity as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A team of 15 Parkside Vets colleagues, including vets, nurses, receptionists and support staff, are fund-raising for Breast Cancer Now.

The team will be walking from Parkside’s Barnhill surgery to its Arbroath branch in memory of vet Catherine Macleod, who died of breast cancer last year, on Sunday 25 October, marking the first anniversary of her death.

All-clear

The walk was organised by Barnhill VN Freya Buwert, who recently underwent breast cancer treatment and received the all-clear.

Mrs Buwert was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024 and underwent three rounds of surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and she is now receiving preventative treatment.

She said: “A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every nine minutes and, as a female-dominated profession, our practice has been impacted by breast cancer more than once in recent years.

“The walk isn’t just about raising funds, although that is really important. It is also about raising awareness and encouraging women to check themselves.”

Early detection

She added: “I am glad to be here after everything I have been through, and early detection helped me. My dad had cancer at the same time as me and I grew up with a constant fear that it would happen to me, so I was always aware of the importance of checking my breasts.

“When I first found out I had cancer, I was very shocked. Catherine was going through cancer at the time too, and I saw how amazing she was. We want to remember her on our walk.”

A GoFundMe page [https://www.gofundme.com/f/parkside-vet-groups-wear-it-pink-walk] has been set up for donations, and VetPartners will match 20% of the money raised.