On Saturday, 4 October 2025, we at the Zambian Cancer Society gathered with partners, families, survivors, and health professionals at East Park Mall in Lusaka for Dukutober 2025 – Zambia’s largest cancer awareness and fitness event. From our perspective, this day was far more than an aerobics session or fun run; it was a living expression of our belief that no one should face cancer alone.
Our vision for Dukutober
Dukutober is our breast health initiative designed to promote early diagnosis, encourage healthy lifestyles, and strengthen patient support across Zambia. It grew out of the reality that breast cancer is among the most common cancers affecting women in our country and that many still present late because of fear, stigma, and limited access to information.
As the Zambian Cancer Society, we use Dukutober to turn a difficult subject into a hopeful, community‑owned conversation, linking physical activity, education, and solidarity through the simple but powerful symbol of the duku headwrap.
The day at East Park Mall
From 06:30 to 10:30 hours, the Piazza at East Park Mall transformed into a sea of colour, duku headwraps, and movement as more than 3000 participants checked in for aerobics, dance sessions, and warm‑up walks. Corporate teams, civil servants, students, media houses, and faith‑based groups stood side by side with survivors and caregivers, reminding us that cancer affects every sector of our society.
Throughout the morning, our instructors led high‑energy fitness sessions hosted by DV fitness while our volunteers staffed information and screening booths, guiding attendees to breast health education, clinical breast examination, dental exam, eye exam, points where available, and counselling spaces. For us, every step on the piazza was an opportunity to talk about signs and symptoms, risk factors, and the importance of seeking care early.
The power of the Duku Challenge
At the heart of Dukutober is the Duku Challenge – our call for individuals, families, workplaces, Private and Public institutions to wear a duku throughout October to honour those affected by cancer and ignite conversation. In 2025, we saw an even stronger embrace of this tradition, with participants arriving at the event in vibrant headwraps, taking photos, and sharing messages of hope under the #Dukutober hashtag.
From our point of view, each duku tied that day represented a story: a survivor celebrating another year, a caregiver remembering a loved one, a teenager learning about self‑awareness for the first time, or a company committing to support employee wellness and screening. By the time the event ended, digital timelines were filled with Duku Challenge posts, extending our message far beyond the piazza.
Education, support, and partnerships
While fitness draws people in, education and support are the backbone of Dukutober. Our team and partners distributed educational materials, directed participants to our Tisamala radio drama and Dukutober Cancer Wellness Magazine for further learning, and offered one‑on‑one conversations about fears, myths, and the practical realities of navigating cancer care in Zambia.
We also used the 2025 event to strengthen partnerships with government offices, corporate sponsors, civil society, and media outlets that joined us on the ground. Their presence signalled a shared commitment to early detection, patient support, and to using every available platform – from social media campaigns to community outreach – to keep cancer awareness on the national agenda.
What Dukutober 2025 means for the future
Looking back as the Zambian Cancer Society, Dukutober 2025 confirmed that when we combine fitness, culture, and compassion, we can shift how Zambia talks about cancer. We witnessed people who arrived for “just a workout” leave with information about screening, contacts for support groups, and renewed determination to take charge of their health and that of their families.
As we move forward, Dukutober remains our bridge between awareness and action: a platform where a Saturday morning aerobics session can lead to an early diagnosis, where a colourful headwrap can open a life‑saving conversation, and where a community can stand together to say that hope, dignity, and support belong to every person facing cancer in Zambia.