By Kristen Knott

Written April 24, 2014

I am thrilled to announce that Team Wonder Women, made of friends and colleagues will be walking with me at The Shoppers Drugmart Weekend to End Women’s Cancers benefiting Princess Margaret Cancer Center that will be held in Toronto September 6-7, 2014.

In August 2013 I reached out to the women in my life, and told them all that I wanted to give back and raise needed monies for local cancer research. I then proceeded to build the Wonder Women team website and my own personal donations page. I was thrilled when I surpassed my individual fundraising goal of $2000 within a few weeks. I was thrilled and genuinely moved by the people who sponsored me for this event. THANK YOU.

Team Wonder Women now has 10 walkers all who at a minimum will raise $2000 for this event so we will collectively raise at least $20 000. There are a few more friends that may join as walkers, which in turn will increase our team donations. Another friend has worked for the event and has dropped off brochure kits at local businesses to raise awareness. She is using the monies she is paid for this work to donate to our team.

The irony is not lost on me that I participated in this walk back in 2003. I walked with my sister and a friend. At the time I walked in memory of my grandmother and my Nana, who had already had her upper lobe of her lung taken out due to lung cancer and was then in remission. Sadly, Nana eventually died of lung cancer in 2006. When I participated in that weekend I experienced such a wide array of emotions. I felt pride for supporting cancer research, I was happy to spend time with my sister and friend as a mom to a 3 and 1 year old at the time represented freedom. At the opening ceremonies I listened to the stories of survivors and the women who had lost their lives to cancer and it touched me deeply. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. The survivors wore a different colour shirt that I could see they wore with pride. I wanted to hug everyone of them and tell them they were so brave and that I deeply admired them. I am overwhelmed with emotion when I think about participating in the walk this September, 10 years later now as a breast cancer survivor. My eyes well up every time I think about it. These are tears filled with my own pride, my own fear, and amazement that I have battled cancer and I have lived. I am now proud to support cancer research, after all if there is no funding there is no research and without R&D there is no innovation. Science cannot improve without resources, money and commitment to discovery. Princess Margaret cancer research is a world class cancer treatment center and it’s in our own backyard. As a Canadian I am very proud and fortunate to have benefited from cancer research, and the funds generously donated in the years prior to my diagnosis. It is my turn now to give back.

I will be sponsoring and helping my team-mates get to their individual donation goals over the coming months ahead. Team Wonder Women will be super heroes for two days in September when we will walk 60km over two days to try and eliminate Women’s Cancer. I can’t wait!

Please support and spread the word and be a part of change.

http://www.endcancer.ca/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=1481&team_id=121427

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