LOCKS OF SUPPORT
Sonni Peters shaves Arlo Jeancart’s hair at Centre Mall on Friday as part of the C95 Radio Marathon for Breast Cancer Research. Now in its 19th year, the popular event has raised more than $4.6 million, including $358,310 this year.
Four years ago, Kristen Fiolleau was given months to live after she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, which later spread to other parts of her body.
Now in her second remission, Fiolleau shared her story Friday morning, as she has done at past C95 Radio Marathon for Breast Cancer Research events. This year, the event raised $358,310.
“Sharing just adds that personal touch and shows that I care and I want to reach out to these people, I want to provide them some hope. And that’s what we always want to do as part of being a survivor or thriver or a warrior, as I like to say, is we want to provide that hope for people,” she said.
Fiolleau was 31 years old and caring for her daughter one day when she fell onto her bed exhausted and felt pain and a lump in her breast. She saw a doctor, underwent a series of tests, and quickly received a diagnosis. Within months, she had a stage four cancer diagnosis.
Fiolleau was one of the many who spoke and donated to the 12-hour event held at The Centre Mall.
She donated the proceeds from sales of pink lattes and pink cookies at the shop she and her husband own and manage in Martensville to the radio fundraiser.
Over the last 19 years, the radio marathon has raised and donated more than $4.6 million to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency.
The radio station held its first on-air fundraiser in 2000 after morning show co-host Lisa Rendall was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She died in 2011.
The money raised has become a major source of funding for breast cancer research in Saskatchewan, said Dr. Keith Bonham, a senior research scientist at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency.
Among the projects it helps fund is one looking for a potential new treatment for triple negative breast cancer, which comprises about 10 per cent of all breast cancer cases. It’s a very hard cancer to treat, Bonham explained, mainly because there are no estrogen, progestin or HER2 receptor defects to target with treatments.
Saskatchewan researchers are looking to combine new technologies to find potential targets with an existing drug which, in combination, would kill cancer cells. It would mean lower doses of both drugs and fewer side effects.
Researchers are nearing the trial phase, Bonham said.
“We’re just at that stage now, which is why we need more funding.”
Through genetic testing, Fiolleau learned she has a gene that makes her 50 to 80 per cent susceptible to developing cancer. When her daughter is old enough, she will be tested for the gene too, she said.
“For her, research is for her future as much as it is for mine.”