Communities walk with teal sisters across the country
September 26, 2019
The annual Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope rallied thousands of community members to help save women’s lives. Weather reports were mixed, but women and families affected by this disease formed a sea of teal from coast to coast.
For Andrea Bodchon, living with ovarian cancer, the Walk is a time to share her story and reflect.
“Every year I walk. I walk because I am still here. I walk for my granddaughter, my sister, my friends, our mothers and all women. In 2017, I was in treatment for the third time and wore my teal wig. This year, in remission, my granddaughter wore my teal wig,” explains Andrea. “As a former co-chair, I know the importance of this event. When I connect with other women, especially those newly diagnosed, I share my story in hopes that it will help them.”
Andrea Bodchon and her granddaughter at the Walk in 2017 and 2019.
This year there was added cause for hope and the crowds roared in celebration for the first-ever commitment of $10 million for ovarian cancer research by the Canadian government.
“After years of persistently and loudly speaking up and speaking out about the disease, our call was answered. We can celebrate that achievement this year but it’s not the end of our work,” says Elisabeth Baugh, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada. “Now it’s up to this community and our supporters to keep the momentum going so we can invest more dollars in research, improved care and treatment for women, and disease prevention.”
This year’s Walk was not without challenges. For the first time in Walk history, extreme weather – specifically the remnants of Hurricane Dorian touching down in Atlantic Canada – forced us to cancel the Walk in Halifax, NS and Charlottetown, PEI for the safety of Walk participants. However, determined to rally, teal sisters in these regions still gathered their teams together when the skies cleared and donned their teal with pride. We are so grateful to the donations that continued to pour in even with this change in plan for Halifax and Charlottetown.
Corrine Gillespie’s team, Corinney’s Crew, embraced the sunny skies
Joanne Rivest, wearing her teal with pride in Halifax
From toddler dance-offs, to beard shaves and line dancing, each Walk delighted crowds of all sizes. Thank you to the many participants, committee members and volunteers who have contributed to this shared success. Your contribution to Ovarian Cancer Canada is changing lives.
We are currently at $1.8 million and counting in donations and stay tuned for the final fundraising tally. We will keep you posted! Be sure to follow Ovarian Cancer Canada social media channels for photos and exciting updates about the work your funds enable.
In the meantime, mark your calendars because the 2020 Walk takes place on Sunday, September 13. Go to ovariancancerwalkofhope.ca and sign up to be the first to know when registration opens.