Dear friends and colleagues,

It is that time of year when I solicit the support of my friends and colleagues for my fundraising efforts on behalf of the CIBC Run for the Cure on October 2 to help support research into the causes of and potential treatments and, hopefully, cures for breast cancer, as well as provide support for breast cancer victims and their families.

I needn't go into the details of our family’s journey from Katherine’s diagnosis until now. From my past letters, they are well known to you. To update you, however, I can say that this year Katherine became a nine-year survivor! A very important milestone. However, the emotional devastation of several misdiagnoses, watered-down chemo treatments, the uncertainty caused by the rare and aggressive form of her cancer, and the related side effects of the cancer and its treatment have left Katherine still suffering badly from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for which she has therapy from two professionals. She remains off work on long-term disability although the ever-present insurer of her LTD plan continues to press to get her back to work despite the agreement of her doctors and the insurer’s own IME that she is nowhere near being ready for that. That harassment only serves to ramp up her anxiety. So life is not easy at present but we carry on and one way we can feel some positivity and semblance of control is to help in the fight against this debilitating disease via Run for the Cure. So, I am once again asking you to contribute to this cause by going to my web page and making a donation in my name to support Team Katherine Butson. To make a donation now, please click on the large Donate button on the page.

This cause is very near to my heart and I am asking for your help, if at all possible.

As always, I appreciate your giving consideration to making a donation and value dearly your friendship and collegiality.