Run for the Cure saw support
Hundreds of people gathered at the new pavilion at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park Sunday morning to Run for the Cure.
The CIBC-sponsored event raised awareness and funds for breast cancer research to find a cure. The total raised at the end of the run was $40,865, with donations continuing to come in online.
Several people spoke at the event including local MLA Shirley Bond, Mayor Lyn Hall, Chantal Craig, general manager for the Pine Centre’s CIBC branch, Margaret Jones-Bricker for the Canadian Cancer Society and breast cancer survivor Viva Swanson.
Each speaker offered words of welcome and encouragement to the 235 registrants and their supporters at the park and put a call out for the need to find a cure.
“Today is about caring for one another,” Bond said.
“We know that we can make a difference by walking, donating, and most importantly, by supporting the people in our communities.”
Bond said hearing a breast cancer diagnosis can be pretty tough and not just for the person but for their family and friends as well.
“We’re here to celebrate survivors and let you know that we’re with you and we care,” Bond said.
Bringing home the reality for those in attendance during a beautifully sunny fall day was Jones-Bricker.
“Every day 73 Canadians hear the words ‘you have breast cancer,’” Jones-Bricker said.
That needs to change, she added.
“With your help every year we’re able to raise the funds to support vital research and support services for those Canadians diagnosed with breast cancer and we thank you so very, very much for making that possible,” Jones-Bricker said.
The final speaker was cancer survivor Swanson who shared her cancer journey with the crowd.
“I had cancer for six days,” Swanson said.
“I was diagnosed on April 10, 2015 and on April 16 I had my lumpectomy. They removed the mass, they removed the contaminated lymph nodes and all of my treatment afterwards – 24 weeks of chemotherapy, four weeks of radiation – was to make sure it never comes back. The reason it’s never coming back is because we have committed to the cause. We have committed to ensuring there is a cure.”
Swanson went on to say that with the advancements in protocol of the disease that even from a decade ago the experience of having breast cancer now is so much different than it was before.
Today there is equipment geared for early diagnosis, procedures and medications to rid the body of the cancer and cuttingedge technology used throughout the whole process.
“So we are beating it every single day,” Swanson said.
“I am happy to be here to share this day with you and to attempt something I have never done before.”
Swanson was running the five kilometre Run for the Cure for the very first time.
Before they started the run she made one final request from the crowd listening to her every word.
“I would really appreciate it if you would join me to share this moment,” Swanson said.
“Today we are running for our sisters, our mothers, daughters, and our daughters’ daughters. We are running for our friends, the men in our lives and for ourselves. We’re running to make breast cancer beatable. I ask you all to join me in a promise – if you would repeat after me – today we run to make breast cancer beatable.”