MANITOULIN – Many Manitoulin Island residents took part in the very successful 28th annual Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure. The Manitoulin participants took part in the run held in Sudbury this past Sunday, and were among the list of participants and teams that raised the most funds for breast cancer research at the event.
“I took part years ago when the run was first held, for my grandmother who had breast cancer,” Tracey Chapman, of Little Current, told the Recorder this past Monday. She was part of the Sisterhood Heals team for this year’s run.
“My cousin Katherine McMahon of Sudbury is recovering from breast cancer, and just finished her radiation treatments,” Ms. Chapman told the Recorder.
The Sisterhood Heals team finished as the top team in terms of the amount of money they raised for the run, raising a very impressive $13,455. Ms. McMahon works at Palladino Honda in Sudbury which donated $5,000 to the cause.
“We had my mom, aunt, cousins and other family and relatives on the team,” said Ms. Chapman.
Mary Buie of Kagawong was on the Burns Wharf Theatre Group team that took part in the run. “Yes, it was the first run in a few years where, for a change, it was dry and fairly warm—about 14 degrees.”
“This was our eighth year of taking part, since my treatment having been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was a participant on the team that includes the Kuntsi family, Yana, Cassie and Jocelyn and Patrick Therrien. The organizers know us well and they always welcome us back every year,” said Ms. Buie. As a cancer survivor, she received a special pink t-shirt to wear during the run.
“Heather’s (Theijsmeijer, also a Kagawong resident) goal was to raise $1,500 and she passed that figure,” said Ms. Buie. She raised just over $1,000 herself and the Burns Wharf team raised almost $1,300 in total.
“My final tally for the run this year was $1,650,” said Ms. Theijsmeijer. “Both Mary and I finished in the top 10 for fundraising (individually) at the Sudbury event.”
Ms. Chapman said, “It was a great morning, and it was so nice to drive to Sudbury with Mary (Buie) and to hear her experience of going through cancer. I’ve followed her journey fighting breast cancer in the Recorder and The Expositor; I kind of feel I know what she has gone through by following along with her stories in the papers.”
Andrea Seale, chief executive officer of the Canadian Cancer Society said in a letter to participants, “thank you for joining us at the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure! Yesterday, you came together with thousands of participants across the country to walk, run and fundraise. With your help, we truly became a force-for-life in the face of breast cancer.”
“Together, we raised an estimated $17 million nation-wide,” wrote Ms. Seale. “This is an incredible accomplishment that would not have been possible without your hard work. Your passion and commitment will allow us to help more Canadians than ever before live with and beyond breast cancer,” wrote Ms. Searle. “While one in eight women is expected to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, you are helping us make important progress. Thanks to the generous donations to the Run this year, the Canadian Cancer Society can fund the most promising research in the country that can change the lives of people diagnosed with breast cancer. Funds raised also allow us to continue providing a nationwide cancer support system, so that no Canadian has to face breast cancer alone.”
