BARRHEAD- The Breast for Friends running team wants to remind people that although the coronavirus is a serious, potentially deadly illness, so are several others, breast cancer being one of them.
That is why the Breast of Friends is participating in the CIBC's Run For the Cure on Oct. 3.
Usually, the fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society and breast cancer research is held in communities across Canada. For the Town and Country This Week's readership area, the nearest event in Edmonton.
However, for the second straight year due to the pandemic, the run will be held virtually — meaning teams will be able to participate in their community and send pictorial evidence of their participation.
"For the last two years, you hear always about COVID. Cancer doesn't stop for that. It just keeps going," said Breast of Friends team member Violet Schriever. " I've lost too many friends and family members to cancer. I am going to keep walking at events like these until we finally beat cancer, or my feet will no longer allow me to."
According to Canada's Public Health Agency, in 2019, 26,900 Canadians will be diagnosed with breast cancer — 5,000 will die of it.
Breast cancer accounts for approximately 25 per cent of new cases of cancer diagnosis and 13 per cent of all cancer deaths in Canadian women. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with the disease over their lifetime.
Schriever also knows how difficult battling the disease is, having won her fight 18 years ago.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 when she was 54-years-old.
Although the disease runs in Schriever’s mother’s side of the family, she was taken by complete surprise when she received the results after having a routine mammogram done through Screen Test, a travelling mammography clinic, which goes to small Alberta communities.
Shortly after her diagnosis, she underwent a series of chemotherapy treatments along with radiation.
In 2007, three years after her cancer was diagnosed as being in remission, Schriever joined Breast of Friends, a group formed by fellow cancer survivor, Laura Renkema from Fort Assiniboine, and took part in her first event — a two-day 60-kilometre walk in Edmonton as part of the Alberta Cancer Foundation's Weekend to End Cancer fundraiser.
"We have such a great chemotherapy department right here at the hospital [Barrhead Cancer Clinic] ... I am so thankful for that," she said, adding which is one of the reasons why the team always walks past the Healthcare Centre during any of the Barrhead events.
Schriever also noted the improvements in treatments that have been made even since she was diagnosed because of research made possible, in large part, due to fundraising events such as the Run For the Cure.
As for what the Breast of Friends’ Run for the Cure will look like, they will be doing a five-kilometre walk, starting at 11 a.m. from the service lane in front of Barrhead Elementary School, weaving throughout town (making sure they stop at the previously mentioned healthcare centre before returning to the school.)
For more information about the event, visit www.support.cancer.ca and click on the donate button. From there, you will be able to search for the Breast of Friends team.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
