THUNDER BAY - As breast cancer survivor, Sharon O’Connor, walked up to the start line, another survivor took her hand. She had become a part of a group she never thought she would have and she is thankful she is here to hold the hands of other survivors.
“I really didn’t want to join this club, I never thought I would, but I did,” she said. “It was really nice. Everybody held hands and it was a really emotional time. It was really tough, but good.”
O’Connor was one dozens of breast cancer survivors joined by hundreds of family, friends, and supporters in the fight against breast cancer during the CIBC Run for the Cure on Sunday.
Runs were taking place in 57 cities across the country to raise money for breast cancer research and local run director, Bonnie Tittaferrante, said this year the more than 500 participants helped meet the fundraising goal of $60,000.
“Compared to last year, I think we are about the same, but we are leading our numbers of funds raised, so we picked up the pace from last year a bit,” she said.
Since Run for the Cure first started in 1992 more than $445 million has been raised. The money helps fund breast cancer research, support programs, and assists women and families facing a diagnosis.
In Canada alone, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and it is a disease that can impact the entire family.
“With breast cancer, it just seems to extend to the whole family, the whole family becomes affected, not that it doesn’t with any other type of cancer, but when mom is out of commission, it really does impact the family,” Tittaferrante said. “This event is really important because it helps show we have support for our survivors, those going through it, and their families.”
When O’Connor was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, she remembers going over and over in her head what she can do about it. Despite the fear, she underwent full chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
“Let me tell you, when you lay in that bed as sick as I was with cancer and now you stand here on this track and able to do it, it’s absolutely fabulous,” she said. “It changes your life. I’m so happy to be here.”
Now living in Calgary, O’Connor decided to return to Thunder Bay to participate in the run and help raise money, just like her family did for her last year.
“My niece, Stephanie Templeman, ran in the Run for the Cure here last year with my name on her back,” she said. “So because of all the great care I got from the Cancer Society in Calgary, I decided I wanted to give back and get donations for breast cancer.”
“With an army we can accomplish a lot. If everyone gives a dollar and a little bit of time, it will make this world a better place. Breast cancer is a hard fight, but much better with people that care and obviously Thunder Bay cares.”
And all the money raised for cancer research is making a difference, with mortality rates decreasing to 44 per cent since the mid 1980s.
“My sister died of breast cancer at the age of 45,” O’Connor said. “If she was here today, she probably would have lived because of all the technology, the support, the research on it. Without the money from the runs and the donations from people all over the world, I probably wouldn’t be standing here.”
