Hundreds gather to raise awareness about breast cancer

 

More than 1,400 pink-wearing participants raising money for breast cancer research, education and awareness filled Windsor’s Riverfront Plaza Sept. 30 to take part in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.

People came to run or walk a five kilometre course and raise funds by paying a $40 entry fee or collecting at least $150 in pledges. By Oct. 1 the total funds raised in Windsor was $198,000.

Run for the Cure is Canada’s largest volunteer fundraising event dedicated to breast cancer. It takes place every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving in 60 cities nationwide. Last year $30 million was raised for breast cancer research in Canada.

People taking part in the event included breast cancer survivors, families of those affected by cancer and volunteers from around the community.

Some participants formed running teams and dressed up in pink feathered boas, wigs and other themed accessories.

One team, The Emergency Medical Ta-ta’s, was comprised of six Windsor/Essex paramedics and two of their family members. Medic Daina Fields, sporting a pink-ribbon bandana, said she ran for a special person.

“Well we decided to start a team in honor of my mom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in April and had a single mastectomy in July. She’s recovering now,” said Fields.

Fields also said raising awareness is important to her because she may have to face cancer one day as well. According Breastcancer.org, five-10 per cent of breast cancer is hereditary and passed through abnormal genes from mother to child.

Another group of participants traveled from Harrow and brought a wheelbarrow full of pennies,  70,000 in total. The pledges came from patrons of a called Shooters with 20 to 25 people contributing. Members of their team took turns pushing the pocket change the distance of the course.

Before the participants embarked on the run, organizers invited cancer survivors on stage. The crowd clapped and whistled as they took their place, all holding hands forming a survivor chain from one side of the stage to the other.

“It usually coincides with the sun coming out from behind the casino and it just lights up the whole place, not just the sun, but with them being on stage. It’s always very emotional and it puts so much more meaning to the run,” said Ingrid Kerker-Lutsch, the events volunteer run director.

Kerker-Lutsch also said she still thinks too many women get the disease but the survivors’ presence is testament to how far research has come.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society an average of 62 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day in 2012.