Yellowknife (Oct 08/03) - It was a day of stories. Over 1,000 Yellowknifers snaked through city streets to participate in the annual CIBC Run for the Cure.

Kate Hearn and her son Dawson pose with their Run for the Cure team, Kate's Rainbow Warriors. - Chris Puglia/NNSL photo

Pinned to their chests many proudly wore signs that read "I am running for...".

Each sign bore a different name, a different family member and drove home the point that everyone, at least in some part, has been touched by the horrors of breast cancer.

In the sea of white-clad runners specks of pink dotted the crowd.

The pink shirt, new this year, pointed to people who had survived or are fighting breast cancer.

One of those people was Kate Hearn, 46.

She was diagnosed with cancer back in June, just a week before her son Dawson's eighth birthday.

"I was quite terrified, I had thought very much this can't be happening to me. There are lots of women with breast cancer, but they are always other women," she said of her reaction to the diagnosis.

Hearn said her life has changed dramatically since her diagnosis.

On to her fourth of eight rounds of chemotherapy, Hearn said it was a battle she immediately realized couldn't be fought alone.

"I've always been a stoic person. But from day one I knew I needed other people," she said.

Warriors hit the streets

After Hearn's diagnosis she discovered truly just how many people care for her.

Aside from being there for support, many took to the street to battle breast cancer in Hearn's name.

Team Kate's Rainbow Warriors, over 25 strong, were out in force on Sunday.

Each wore signs reading "I'm running for Kate", except one, Dawson's, whose sign read "I'm running for mom."

"Because my mom has cancer," he said, when asked why he decided to run.

As expected, the experience has been hard for Kate and her family but she feels fortunate for the friends she has.

"They are my rainbow, the bright coloured lights across the black clouds," she said.

Hearn said her son has also been an important source of strength.

"He's been quite amazing," she said.

When times are bad Kate said Dawson has a knack for cheering her up.

"He tells me to be like Reepicheep," she said.

Reepicheep is a character from a C.S. Lewis Christian book series.

A two-foot tall mouse, the character is known for his nobility and bravery.

This is Kate and Dawson's first year in the run. Her latest chemotherapy treatment was on Friday.

To date the Yellowknife run raised over $150,000 and participants ranged from young children to seniors.

Good participation

Over 1,000 people and 55 teams participated in the run, which may have enjoyed the best weather yet on record.

Luzia Halter, 17, is an exchange student from Switzerland who joined the run.

"I'm running for my grandparents. They died of cancer," she said.

In Switzerland, she said it's not as common for charity runs to be held for cancer research.

"They do it for mine injuries," she said.

"There were so many people, I was impressed."

For Halter it was impressive. For people like Kate it was overwhelming.

"It brought a tear to my eye especially seeing the signs people had saying I am running for someone.

"It's amazing how many lives this touches," said Kate.

Run results

Male category:

1st Dave Unger 19:42

2nd Julian Kanige 20:04

3rd Dobry Minhou, 20:53

Female category

1st Heather Culbert 21:44

2nd Roz Smith 23:15

3rd Caroline Cho 24:39

School team challenge

1st Ecole St. Joseph's $8,183.75

2nd J.H. Sissons $7,195.83

3rd Range Lake North $6,813.22

Nike Women's Challenge (All women team)

1st Girl Power $7,350.80

Community challenge (team with 6 or more)

1st Kate's Rainbow Warriors $3,700.

2nd NWT Reps $3,385

3rd Survivor NWT $2,375

Corporate spirit award

1st GNWT Health Social Services $8,894.54

2nd We Care and Believe $5,539

3rd Great Slave Helicopters $5,265