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(Posted 12
p.m., Oct. 5)
Blackburn 'Run for the Cure' attracts over 200 particpants
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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 Tara
Shadzik (left) and Lauren Trebels from Henry Munro Middle School try to
navigate their solar boat down the course during the solar boat race and
design competition at École secondaire Gisèle-Lalonde on Friday. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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More than
200 people walked, jogged, strolled and scootered their way along the streets
and pathways of Blackburn Hamlet on Sunday as part of the "CIBC Run
for the Cure" which raised over $22,000 locally and $1.5 million city
wide.
This is the seventh
year that Blackburn residents Lynn Sewell and Bill Horne have organized
the local event with the help of a small but dedicated army of volunteers.
Among the many
people who took part was Mary Beth McGowan, an education assistant at Blessed
Kateri Tekakwitha School in Orléans, who lost her friend Laura to breast
cancer in 2002.
"She lived
with breast cancer for seven years," said McGowan who wore a photo
of her friend around her neck. "She was a caring, fun loving person
who never let her cancer get in the way. She never let it define who she
was."
There was a large
contingent of particpants from Blessed Kateri as well as a group from the
Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club and members of the University of Ottawa
cross country team.
The honourary
starters were recreational walking ambassadors Helen Viel and Ole Oleson
with special assistance from Ottawa-Orleans MPP Phil McNeely. Viel and Oleson
walked across Canada in 2000.
While a majority
of the walkers/runners were women, this event attracted a large number of
men as well like Bob Starkey who signed up in support of his friend and
fellow participant Val Xavier who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years
ago.
"I work
with Val and she really scared us. She had it pretty bad, but she's battled
it and really come through. She's a survivor," said Starkey.
Bill Stearn was
taking part in honour of his mother Sylvia who passed away from breat cancer
three years ago at the age of 72.
"She had
a real rough time of it during the radiation treatment and chemo because
of her age, but she was tough little Italian and she hung in there,"
said Stearn.
Winston MacDonald
took part with his wife Trudy whose mother was also diagnosed with breast
cancer in her early 70s.
"She died
a few years ago," said Winston. "She was the best mother-in-law
in the world. She was a very unusual lady. Very charismatic."
"You don't
think of breast cancer effecting older women so much, but it does,"
added Trudy. "She was
While the median
age for breast cancer is 63, the disease has been detected in woman in their
late 70s. While breast cancer among seniors is generally not as aggressive
as breast cancer in younger woman, senior women can be more susceptible
to the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The rate of
reoccurence is also much lower among seniors whose breast cancer goes into
remission.
(This story
was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local
business partners.)
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