{"id":361166,"date":"2026-09-30T21:30:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T21:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/361166\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T21:30:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T21:30:26","slug":"cancer-survivor-allison-alexis-celebrates-awareness-advocacy-at-11th-annual-queens-cancer-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/361166\/","title":{"rendered":"Cancer survivor Allison Alexis celebrates awareness advocacy at 11th annual Queens Cancer Walk"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trinidadian-born Allison Alexis celebrated her 15 years as a cancer survivor. Her journey was not measured by her struggles to stay healthy and, well, it was her strength, and determination to help others, that kept her cancer-free all these years.<\/p>\n

Saturday, Sept. 19 was a fitting example of Alexis\u2019 vigilance and advocacy through the non-profits\u00a0Queens Cancer Walk and We Fight Cancer Together Inc, which helped her to bring together scores of survivors and thrivers at the the 11th annual Queens Cancer Walk and resource fair at Smokey Oval Park (Phil Risotto Park) in Richmond Hill, where educational pamphlets, counseling, and an exercise routine were offered at the day\u2019s initiative.<\/p>\n

NYC Councilmember Lynn Schulman, who represents District 29, a six-year breast cancer survivor among thrivers, noted the significance of the Cancer Walk, and how important it was for her to be there to support the community.<\/p>\n

\"SelflessSelfless volunteers strike a pose, with Cancer Walk founder Allison Alexis, fifth from left, at the resource table of We Fight Cancer Together Inc. and Queens Cancer Walk in Smokey Oval Park, Richmond Hill on September 19.Tangerine Clarke<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to thank Sherry Algredo for her work in the community and for keeping me informed,\u201d said Shulman. \u201cWe do have to make sure that our kids take up the fight when we are no longer around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shulman spoke of the current innovation around breast cancer, but noted that despite this, the federal government has removed funding for cancer trials\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe have to fight back on that,\u201d she said, adding that as the chair of the Health Committee in the New York City Council, she put forward a bill to get private industry to fund workers\u2019 access to screening, while acknowledging Allison Alex as someone special who fights for cancer survivors.<\/p>\n

Community Board 9 Chair Sherry Algredo spoke of the gratitude she felt after a negative breast cancer diagnosis, but during a two-week waiting period for the result from a biopsy, she made contact with Alexis and joined the advocacy program.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have lost friends and family members to the disease that hits all of our homes. It takes someone like Allison to bring this walk to the community. Allison is an inspiration,\u201d said Algredo, thanking the advocate for her exceptional work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Babita Bhajan tearfully recalled the loss of his sister Chandra, who died at a very young age. \u201cIt\u2019s tough losing Chandra, she was so strong, she fought hard.\u201d
\n\"MembersMembers of the NYPD DESI Society, with emcee Raquel Baldeo, far right, supported the Queens Cancer Walk at its 11th annual celebration at Smokey Oval Park on Sept. 19.Tangerine Clarke\n<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had so much hope. She found people on Tik Tok, who supported and encouraged her. She found comfort and peace there. People she didn\u2019t know were reaching out to her. She saw young people passing away, and worried if she would be next,\u201d said Babita, mournfully.<\/p>\n

With tears running down her cheeks, Babita said, \u201cIt was not only Cha\u2019s fight with cancer, but the joy she had for life. She loved dancing, and traveling.\u201d\\\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cTraveling gave her the strength to come back home, undergo chemotherapy, and then travel again. She loved life, but unfortunately it was cut short. We all miss her very much. She will forever be in our hearts,\u201d said Babita, adding that she and her sisters came to the cancer walk to honor and remember their sister, whose Tik Tok handle was \u201cCha the Warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here for all who are fighting for their lives, and those who have lost family and friends to this disease,\u201d said Babita, thanking Allison Alexis, whom she said has been wonderful, and supportive of her family.<\/p>\n

Chandra Bhajan\u2019s daughter, Tina Rampertabe, said her 56-year-old mother passed away in January 2026 of breast cancer,\u201d Bhajan said. This was the reason she attended the Queens Cancer Walk for the first time: to support breast cancer warriors.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom found out she had cancer during a routine mammogram screening and was diagnosed with Metastatic breast cancer,\u201d Bhajan said. \u201cShe returned to the hospital after she had breathing problems. That was when fluid was found in her lungs, and metastasized.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

At age 30, Tina, a Registered Nurse, plans this year to get her first mammogram due to her family\u2019s history. She thanked Alexis, and her group who have been the support system that helped her family.<\/p>\n

Alex said this year\u2019s walk has been amazing, with many more vendors than in the past supporting the casual.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cFriends come out every year, and despite having a full-time job, I have been successful hosting the yearly Queens Cancer Walk.\u201d
\n\"FamilyFamily members of Chandra Bhajan, who lost her bout with cancer in January 2026, came out to support the Queens Cancer Walk hosted by Allison Alexis, who they said was their support system in times of grief. From left are Sunita, Grace, Mala, Sari, Tina, Sharon, and Babita.Tangerine Clarke\n<\/p>\n

The champion, however, confessed to having a scare last year when she discovered a pulsating pain in the back of her head. Fortunately, for her though, tests proved she had nothing to worry about pertaining to her cancer journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am getting more sleep, and keeping stress away. Everything I eat is what my mom fed me while I was growing. I can live on fruits and vegetables. I have a passion for helping and sharing with others. When I am no longer here, share the pictures of people I made happy,\u201d said the advocate.<\/p>\n

Also in attendance were Rokeya Akhter of the Office of District Attorney Malinda Katz, LiveOnNY, Community Board #9, NYPD DESI Society, SocaCize Fitness, The Family Center, Better Vision Optical, Autumn Arts and Crafts, and others.<\/p>\n

District Director Anthony Lemma, on behalf of Assemblymember David Weprin\u2019s office, presented Citations to volunteer youths, Racquel Baldeo, Anaya Vasquez, and Sarah Sookraj.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Trinidadian-born Allison Alexis celebrated her 15 years as a cancer survivor. Her journey was not measured by her…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361167,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9,24,63,122,124,123],"class_list":["post-361166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361166"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361166\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}