I don’t have a personal breast cancer story to tug at your heart strings. Trust me, I’d use one if I could. In fact, I’m one of the only people out there who hasn’t lost someone to breast cancer. Not yet, anyway. I do have an aunt who beat breast cancer (I think), but we don’t talk much about that sort of thing in my family. My husband lost his grandmother to the disease before he was born and one of his eight aunts (on his father’s side alone!) is a breast cancer survivor. (Another aunt is currently battling vaginal cancer.)
I do know, however, that the Canadian Cancer Society says that in 2009, “An estimated 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,400 will die of it.” In Canada alone. (Add another 192,370 diagnoses, and 40,170 deaths in the United States according to the National Cancer Institute.) That’s a lot of people. It is the leading type of cancer among women and one in nine woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. So, no, I haven’t lost anyone to breast cancer. Not yet.
I also happen to live in a city that is home to the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) — the largest cancer-specific institution in the country and a top five ranking hospital for cancer research in the world. The Campbell Family Institue for Breast Cancer Research is supported by the PMH and is a world leader in cancer research and continues to break new ground in breast cancer research, treatment and studies. It all costs money, though. Does the institute have enough money? Not yet.
For the past four years I have been inspired by a team of women in my husband’s family who have participated in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. Led by my sister-in-law, Tara Keenan, the Keenans and the Crew For the Cure have raised over $80,000 for breast cancer research. ($30.5 million have been raised since 2004 in total.) First, each individual needs to raise at least $2000 worth of donations and then they walk. And walk. They walk 60km and it takes two days. Get 4757 women walking together through the streets of Toronto — that’s how you raise awareness. I hear it’s a life changing experience, but I wouldn’t know. Not yet.
The treatment and detection of breast cancer is evolving by leaps and bounds. Women who would have faced certain death a decade ago can now fight for survival. We can screen for genetics and breathe a sigh of relief if we don’t have the breast cancer gene. If. I don’t have a personal story of breast cancer loss, no. But I do have a baby girl. When she grows up she will likely have a one in nine chance of developing breast cancer. I don’t like those odds. I don’t think I want to take that bet. So let me see how much money I can wring out of you fine people. Let’s see just how far our research dollars can take us. No, we don’t have a cure. Not yet.
Here’s the thing, though. The Weekend To End Breast Cancer is September 12 -13 which is less than a month away. I need to raise $2000 by then and my own funds are already earmarked for the groceries. So I really, really need you to move on this. Here’s how it works: follow this link here (or click through the pretty button on the sidebar) and donate to my fundraising efforts. Just in case the satisfaction of fighting cancer is not enough … I will, in return, not only walk like crazy for two days, but I will fundraise like crazy for three weeks. I will beg and plead and otherwise persuade business people to donate prizes to my cause. Every $20 donated will get one entry into a draw to be held on Thursday Sept. 10. Be sure to include your contact info in the message portion of the donation so I can get your prize to you.
Check back for an updated list of prizes as they come in.
I would also love to hear your breast cancer stories in my comments section. (Or just link to them if you’d like.) Oh, and tell your friends, why don’t you?
