As some of you may know, I have been participating in the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure for a few years now. This year will be a special one however, as I will be running for & with my mom. 

My mom got diagnosed with a stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer in May 2024, at age 54. Since then, she has been a tenacious force of nature, enduring weekly chemo treatments and all of the adjacent procedures. Thus far, my mom has been able to handle her treatments quite well (although, I cannot say I am that surprised considering my mom's resilience & determination, she is the epitome of a strong woman!). 

My family and I are not only thankful for the fantastic care my mom continues to receive at Odette (Sunnybrook) but also for the countless donations and the significant investments that have propelled cancer research and treatments over the last couple of decades. My mom's cancer is HER2+ (an aggressive form of protein-responsive cancer). Just 5 years ago, this diagnostic at such advanced stage of the disease could have led to palliative care discussions. Thanks to advancements in HER2+ research and treatments options, my mom has been able to receive targetted treatments which have reduced some of her metastasis by more than 40% in a couple of months! 

With your help, I aim to reach my fundraising goal in hope to contribute in making a life-changing difference for the ~1 in 8 woman who, like my mom, get diagnosed with breast cancer yearly. Every dollar raised will support groundbreaking breast cancer research and support programs for impacted women and their loved ones.

I thank you in advance for your donations & I invite you to join my mom & I at Run for Cure in downtown Toronto this October 6th!