Hello everyone!

I have been volunteering with the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure for over 5 years in Toronto: first as the Community Outreach Lead and currently as the Run Director. I started volunteering because I wanted to do more and give back to the community. I didn’t know anyone personally who had breast cancer, but as a proud CIBC-er, the Run was embedded in our culture so it was a natural fit to support.

Year-after-year my very large, Portuguese family and close-knit friend group would fundraise, volunteer and walk in the run. My mom even helped setup the Hope Tent last year, gathering gifts-in-kind and helping with the staging on Run weekend.

Unbeknownst to us all, my mom already had early stages of breast cancer during the 2022 run. We found out a few weeks later when a lump was found in her regularly-scheduled mammogram. A biopsy confirmed that it was in fact Stage 1B breast cancer. This was one of the most devastating days of our family’s life. We were grateful that it was caught early, but knew there was a long road ahead in her cancer journey that involved surgery, chemo, hospitalization with pneumonitis, radiation, and many doctors appointments and scans. In June 2023, my mom finally got to ring the bell after her final radiation treatment.

My mom is the strongest woman I know, and she really showed her bravery, perseverance and determination over the last few months during these trying times. Witnessing her courage and positivity in the face of such adversity has been an inspiration to me and everyone around her. Her unwavering spirit has reminded us all of the incredible power of human will and the importance of maintaining hope even in the darkest of times.

So, this year, the Run has even more meaning to me. I am volunteering and walking for my best friend, my confidant, my biggest cheerleader, my momma: Maria Igreja.

This is where I need your support! Please donate or join Team Maria’s Maminhas and walk with us on Sunday, October 6, 2024 in Toronto.

Every day, 75 Canadians will hear the words “you have breast cancer” like my mom did last year. While these Canadians are living longer, healthier lives after a breast cancer diagnosis, there is still so much work to be done. Every dollar makes a difference. 

Thank you in advance for your support!