A sea of colour means a sea of support

First annual Polka Dot Trot set to take place on Sept. 24

One day, all cancers. That’s the slogan.

“We wanted to do something that could both raise funds and represent the kind of work that we do,” said Emily Geary, development officer at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation.

The Polka Dot Trot is the foundation’s signature event, designed to connect people affected by all forms of cancer. Participants can run, walk, crawl, cartwheel — whatever they want to do — through the 5-kilometre route around St. John’s.

Almost 300 people have already registered, with the minimum amount of pledges from each participant being $250 — bringing the total somewhere near $60,000, even before the event.

But the name, Polka Dot Trot, is what most find appealing.

“There’s 20 different types of cancer and they’re all represented by a different colour,” Geary told The Telegram. “We support all types of cancer (patients), so that’s why we did the polka dots, because all the colours are inclusive of the different kinds of cancer we support.”

The goal is to connect people, and the vibrancy of the event is supposed to do just that.

Everyone participating will receive a T-shirt that is the colour of the cancer they are supporting, Geary said.

The hope is that by doing this, people will realize they aren’t alone in suffering, whether it’s as someone with cancer, or someone who’s affected by it, she said.

“We have a lot of cancer survivors participating, and they look at it as an opportunity to raise funds for cancer care, as well as connect with others who are dealing with the same thing that they are, or that they have dealt with in the past.” Geary said.

She added that the funds raised through the event will stay in Newfoundland and Labrador, with the main cancer centres being in St. John’s, Gander, Grand Falls-windsor and Corner Brook.

According to the Polka Dot Trot’s website, Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest incidence rate of cancer in the country — one in every three people will be diagnosed with some type of cancer in their lifetime.

Geary says she finds that startling.

“If it’s not you yourself who’s the patient, then it’s your relative, your friend, someone you know. Absolutely everyone is affected by cancer. It’s something that reaches everyone on some level. This is an event that’s focused on patients, supporters, family, friends, doctors, nurses, whatever.

“We’re all in this together.”