CALGARY—They are separated by hundreds of miles across Canada, but the family of Mary Buie are connected by her unfailing spirit.
“It was more emotional taking part this year, and more meaningful as well,” stated Jennifer (Buie) Cichon, who along with her husband Dwyne and their children Chase and Brooke, her uncle Mike Coomes and his partner Susie DeKuyper, took part in the annual Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure in Calgary, Alberta on October 1 in memory of Mary, who passed away April 16. Meanwhile her brother Neil with his wife Meghan and their sons Simon and Sebastian took part in the run in North Bay, and her other brother Rob and his wife Kathryn and their daughters Charlotte and Juliette took part in the Lindsay, Ontario run.
“We felt the spirit of mom in all of this,” stated Ms. Cichon. “The whole family took part in their own local runs,” she said, explaining her mother, “took part in the Run for the Cure in Sudbury for years and later in Kagawong, since 2012 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.”
“And every year she and I would talk after we took part in the run,” said Ms. Cichon, who pointed out all the family members shared photographs of their participation in this year’s run.
“Mom would be so proud and happy to know that her family took part in the run in her memory,” said Ms. Cichon.
Ms. Cichon explained monies raised through the run make a difference in the lives of those people it supports. “We saw what research does with the clinical drug trials my mom took part in that worked to give her a year or more of her life.”
The Calgary Run for the Cure event raised over $785,000 toward breast cancer research, said Ms. Cichon who raised over $611 dollars herself. “I know around Canada through the run, over $14.5 million was raised for Canadians impacted by breast cancer. It is so significant and makes such a difference in the lives of so many people.”
Ms. Cichon noted, “I will continue participating in the Run for the Cure annually until I can’t physically take part. The money raised for breast cancer research is so important and critical.”
