To say that my friends and family have been impacted by breast cancer is an understatement.

During the pandemic, two family members out west - Amanda and Shirley - battled breast cancer, enduring surgery, chemotherapy treatments and more. Shortly before that, my childhood best friend Jill quietly waged war on breast cancer and the damaging effects of radiation. A few years back, my friend and running buddy Una fought and won against her breast cancer and the aftermath of harsh treatment and  medications. As I watched my loved ones from afar, I felt helpless - but I was also so impressed by their strength and determination.

Little did I know that in September 2022, two more women in my circle would be added to this list of warriors: my longtime friend and fellow runner, Jennifer, and ME, Angela. WTF? Crazy stuff....way too much breast cancer for us to ignore. 

Jen and I both know that we would not have made it through the testing, the surgeries and the treatment without our friends and family. We are so grateful for the support we have received through our breast cancer journeys. It is from this place of deep gratitude that our team, A & J's Army was born! 2024 will be our second year running as a team and celebrating our survivorship!! 

To show our support for ALL Canadians impacted by breast cancer, we are participating and fundraising for this year’s Run for the Cure - taking place in Ottawa on Sunday, October 6, 2024. Please donate today - or even better, donate AND join A & J's Army to run or walk with us!! Even if you don’t live in Ottawa, you can join our team and run in your home town! Please consider it. Together, we can give Canadians impacted by breast cancer a reason to have hope. And we can help change the future for all.Thank you! I appreciate your generous support.

Angela Koskie - Breast Cancer Survivor