Over 170,000 Canadians took part in the largest single-day, fundraising event for breast cancer in Canada

Over 170,000 Canadians, many of them survivors, ran, walked, cheered or volunteered today as part of the largest single-day, fundraising event for breast cancer in Canada. The Run – in its 13th year – raised $19.2 million to boost breast cancer research and programs.

“This annual event is one of the most inspiring fundraising activities in the country,” says Leslie Denier, National Board Chair, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. “Our dedicated volunteers and community-minded national and local sponsors have worked incredibly hard to make this an opportunity where all Canadians can easily participate and show support for family members, friends and loved ones touched by breast cancer.”

Funds raised through the event will have an important impact on breast cancer research and programs across Canada. Nationally, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) partners with the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (CBCRA), the primary granting agency for breast cancer research in the country. This support has funded innovative research including:

• The advancement of digital mammography, which produces clearer pictures helping doctors to make faster and more accurate breast cancer diagnoses.
• A study indicating that the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides significantly more accurate early detection than mammography, ultrasound or clinical breast examination in some women.
• The discovery of a genetic “switch” that has an ability to turn cancer on and off. This discovery may provide a new approach to effective treatment and prevention.

Volunteer Driven
The Run, which began in 1992, is unique among large fundraising events as it is organized entirely by almost 10,000 volunteers, many of whom have been touched by breast cancer, either personally, through a family member or someone they know.

"The Run is an awesome, inspiring experience that keeps me focused on the positive. If I had been diagnosed 10 years ago, my treatment experience would have been much more devastating to my day-to-day life and would likely have been less successful,” says Pam Royl, a breast cancer survivor who is also a Foundation volunteer. “Today, thanks to the research money raised by the Run, I am 2 years cancer-free and full of life."