麻豆社区

A sunny afternoon provided the perfect environment for the 15th annual Run for Mom on Sunday.

The event 鈥� a Yukon Mother's Day tradition 鈥� was held simultaneously in Whitehorse, Carmacks, Watson Lake, and Atlin, B.C.

Yukon-wide fundraising efforts were not available at press time, but preliminary estimates saw the Whitehorse event raising $40,000 on its own.

"The event just continues to gain momentum,鈥� organizer Val Pike told the Star today. "Yukoners have been so supportive for so many years.鈥�

The run has become a family event, often featuring multiple generations of families participating in honour of their mothers, or those affected by breast cancer.

The capital's event began in front of the S.S. Klondike and saw runners enjoy the 4.2-km route around Riverdale's portion of the Millenium Trail.

Sunny times meant a strong turnout 鈥� estimated to be 1,000 to 1,200 people. Last year's event saw only half that due to chilly temperatures.

Fundraising efforts often depends on the weather, Pike admitted.

"If it had been raining yesterday, we would have had only half the people show up,鈥� she said.

"The weather, unfortunately, does play a big part in the success of the event. This year, though, we had an awesome response in terms of dollars.鈥�

Not all participants submit a pledge form, but Pike said everyone involved in the event plays a part in the battle against the deadly disease.

"That's totally OK,鈥� said Pike. "We've tried to keep it as open and as easy as possible for folks.

And it's not always about the money. It's important for our community to support victims of breast cancer and their families.

"We all know people who were affected by breast cancer, and across the country, people are much more comfortable talking about breast health and breast cancer than they were 15 years ago. I think that's partly because of some of the awareness that an event like this brings. And that's really important for the community.鈥�

Last week, two Whitehorse schools held Run for Mom events of their own. Grey Mountain Primary and Christ the King Elementary have been long-time supporters of the event.

Local resident Wendy Callahan was honoured with a plaque for her impressive fundraising efforts 鈥� this year totaling more than $12,000.

Over the years, Callahan has collected over $100,000 in pledges.

With the run marking its 15th anniversary, Run for Mom calendars were sold, featuring promotional artwork from past runs.

This year's artwork, by Gloria Andison, pictures fireweed under the title 鈥� A new beginning.

The pink painting is meant to evoke a feeling of hope in the fight for life amidst the darkness.

Pink carnations were also given out to recognize the anniversary.

In October 1997, the Yukon's first breast cancer run 鈥� the CIBC Run for the Cure 鈥� was held during a snowfall under the leadership of Tamara Goeppel and Donna Jones.

The run raised $40,000 for cancer research, but more than half of the total funds left the Yukon.

The $18,000 remaining went towards the purchase of a mammogram machine for the Whitehorse General Hospital in 2002.

The success of that run was the building block for the Run for Mom.

"Most of that money left the territory, and that really affected us,鈥� said Pike, one of the founding members. "We took a year off to think about how we were going to reposition ourselves, and we transitioned into our own event at a better time of year.鈥�

On Mother's Day 1999, Goeppel and Jones were two of the founding members for the current run, which sees all of the funds raised remain in the territory.

Within a decade, the Run for Mom raised enough to have a digital mammography unit installed in the Medial Imaging Department at the hospital. The cost of the unit was nearly $700,000.

The machine requires less pressure and radiation, while providing clearer images that are sent electronically to radiologists in Alberta.

The run also funds a handout for women on what to expect with a mammogram, and annually supports the Paddlers Abreast team.