EDMONTON – From kickboxing to yoga, then hip-hop, Zumba, salsa, and even aerobics with fitness star Richard Simmons – four hundred Edmontonians put themselves through an intense 6-hour work-out on Saturday. The end-goal wasn’t to shed pounds, though – that was just a bonus. Those who signed up for the challenging marathon session did it, instead, to raise money for breast cancer research.
Each person had to raise at least $1,000 – a task that, at first, seemed a bit daunting to some.
“I thought how am I going to raise a thousand dollars,” said Global’s own Laurel Clark. She, along with co-workers Nancy Carlson, Erin Chalmers, and Daintre Christensen formed part of a team called “the TaTas,” led by Carole-Anne Guay. And together, the ladies managed to raise a whopping $27,000.
“The money started coming in so quickly because I think everyone has been touched by this somehow…so it wasn’t difficult to raise money,” said Clark.
Taking part in the event held a special meaning for one of her team-members, Trish Fedeyko-Millard, who has already beat breast cancer and is now working to conquer a rare form of skin cancer.
“Raising funds and being able to give back to the place that gave me my life is huge for me,” she said.
The cancer survivor was able to turn to the friends and family who supported her during her battle, to help her raise $8,000 in just 12 days – money that will be used to help find a cure to a disease that claims so many lives each year.
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“It’s one day and we’re all here for one reason,” she added. “If we can help one person or 10 people or 300 people that’s what we’re here for.”
Local oncologist and researcher, John Mackey explained that much of the money raised at the Bust a Move event will go towards hopefully finding a virus that may be triggering breast cancer.
“Our hope is that with the new technologies we’re bringing to table we’re going to prove that breast cancer is a virally caused disease for some women and ultimately we’re hoping that’s going to lead to a vaccine,” he said.
$400,000 was raised at the event. You can still add to that total by going here.
With files from Slav Kornik, Global News
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