Did you know that in 2022 it was estimated that:

* 28,600 Cdn. women were expected to have been diagnosed with breast cancer? This represents 25% of all new cancer cases in women for the year 2022

* 5,500 Cdn. women will die from breast cancer each year

* On average, 78 Cdn. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day

* On average, 14 Cdn. women die from breast cancer every day

* 270 Cdn. men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 55 will die from it

I was diagnosed in February 2019 and then again in May 2019. My sister Laurie was diagnosed in 2020, and our dear friend Suzanne was diagnosed in 2022. We are so happy to have Suzanne and her fabulous family join Team Belletti for our 5K Walk/Run in Toronto.

Laurie continues to captain Team MamaK42 along with her fabulous circle of family and friends in Cambrige.

Sadly, we have so many other special people in our life who have fought breast cancer including, but not limited to two friends named Bonnie, both of whom are no longer with us, Mel, Eva, Carolyn, Mary Jane, Heather, Leslie, Debbie, Jean, Carmen, Kim, Jenn, Marnie, Johnny and so many more. While we have all had our battles, make no mistake, we are stronger than cancer! We are warriors, strong, and brave and we are lifted up by our family, our friends, our supporters, our medical teams who fuel and inspire us to keep up the fight!

I continue to take a daily oral chemo pill and continue to go to Princess Margaret and Mt. Sinai to undergo more testing and follow up. It's always an anxious time for me.  I still have appointments with my surgeon and my medical oncologist as well as my family doctor and other professionals. That being said, I am one of the lucky ones. My prognosis is excellent, my disease, as I understand it, is curable. Why? Research. Funding. Brave women and men who have opted to be part of clinical studies. Compassion. Care. Experts.

This will be my 11th year participating as a walker. I have set a very aggressive goal this year of $2000 personally and our team goal is $2500. I know first-hand the need for research and the impact it makes in the lives of so many. Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause. I know that together, we can change the future of breast cancer and make breast cancer beatable! Thanks in advance for your support!

With love,

Karen