IT was a case of pink sea meets blue when more than 130 walkers – most wearing the special pink T-shirt for the occasion – walked from Portland’s IGA carpark to Cape Bridgewater on Saturday 10 February.

The walkers had turned up at the IGA for the Walk for Michelle, an 18km fundraising amble organised by Jorja Romein and Josh Edwards to continue to raise awareness of breast cancer and to also help fund Ms Romein’s mother’s ongoing breast cancer treatment.

Michelle Romein was first diagnosed with cancer in her right breast in 2017 but after extensive treatment was cancer free by 2018. But another blow came in 2023 when she was again diagnosed, but this time with Severe Stage 4 Breast Cancer. She immediately underwent an emergency mastectomy in Warrnambool, but now faces two years of further extensive treatment and reconstruction surgery. She is just 46.

The 130 or so people who turned up to register for the walk at the IGA carpark at 7.30am on Saturday found the weather a little chillier than Ms Romein and Mr Edwards had hoped for, but by the time they headed off at 8.30am, “it turned out to be perfect,” Ms Romein said.

And while rides were made available for those who doubted they could make the distance, only about five people made use of this and for only part of the way, she said. “Then they got back out and kept going to the end.”

The reward for the walkers at the Portland Surf Life Saving Club at 12pm was a barbecue lunch feast, cooked up by Mr and Mrs Price of Portland. A range of fruit donated by Aldi, and chocolates, biscuits and finger buns were also offered to help replenish tired and hungry bodies. And live music by local favourite Teleah Armistead from about 1pm was the perfect accompaniment.

“Teleah was amazing,” Ms Romein said. “We also had Nettie doing Pilates which helped get everyone stretching after the walk… and the Port of Portland donated their bus and driver to take people back into town after the event.

“We had a great response on the day and a lot of people wanting to come back next year,” she said.

“The sponsors were amazing and we couldn’t have done it without them. From Uppercut Butchers supplying the meat for the barbecue to Prestige Promotions doing the T-shirts …(without) the sponsors the day would not have gone as smoothly as it did.”

The organisers sold more than 100 of the T-shirts, and raised over $7000, with about 50 T-shirts left over if people would like to buy one in preparation for the second walk, planned for 2025, Ms Romein said.

Michelle Romein was overwhelmed by the generosity of the community. “It was the best day with the best weather,” she said. “A huge thank you to everyone who helped in anyway.”