With one in seven women having breast cancer now, more people than ever took to the streets on Wednesday to raise awareness about mammograms and show support for survivors of the killer disease.

Chairwoman of the Breast Cancer Awareness committee Judy Panchaud White said she was overwhelmed with the number of walkers. ?We put together 850 registration packages and we sold out last week so we have numerous teams walking without their orange T-shirts,? she said on Wednesday.

She said between 850 and 1,000 walkers took part, but there were reports late last week of as many as 1,200 walkers, by far the greatest number since the walk began in 1996.

?Each year the number is growing. Nine years ago we had about 150 walkers,? she said. ?The biggest issue is to raise awareness, but secondly it is a fund raising event.?

She said she hoped to raise $175,000 for an ICAD device for the TB Cancer and Health Association which can find cancer overlooked by the human eye.

?The way to beat breast cancer ? to get a 90 to 99 percent success rate ? the earlier you can detect it, the better your chances for survival,? she said. ?If you are undergoing breast cancer what can be more emotionally supporting than to know you have 30 to 40 people walking and rooting for you.? joined the walkers on Serpentine Road, to ask them why they took part.

?I work at the hospital,? walker Pat Lang said. ?My job is to take blood from people so I see many cancer patients come and go. I see an awful lot of them die, so if they can find a cure that would be great.?

Walker Crystal Emery said her grandmother died of cancer but was happy to see so many people walking on Wednesday night. ?You see the backs of different people?s shirt that show why they are walking. So that is very motivational. I don?t feel I am walking just for myself but for them too and their loved ones that passed,? Ms Emery said.

A breast cancer survivor who did not want to be named said it was important for her to walk to support the cause.

?My cancer was found at the TB Cancer and Health Association where I had my mammogram,? she said. ?It was that small that I went for the routine mammogram and there it was. With that came the treatment and here I am.? Cancer was also found in her other breast while she was getting treatment but she now said she was cancer-free.

?Early detection is obviously the way to go. It has to be if it worked for me. I am 58. I have been going to mammograms since I was 40. I had lots of years of experience having them done and coming out and saying ?Fine, see you next year? but this year it wasn?t like that.? But she was confident the killer disease could be stemmed here said because Bermudian women were geared up for early detection.