Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

RANKIN INLET - Three Rankin Inlet women will step up for a good cause later this month.

Sisters Lizzie Tanuyak and Veronica Tattuinee, along with friend Leonie Berry, will travel to Winnipeg to take part in Challenge for Life.

Sisters Lizzie Tanuyak, left, and Veronica Tattuinee will take part in the Challenge for Life 20 km walk in support of Manitoba CancerCare later this month. - photo courtesy of Lizzie Tanuyak

Funds raised by the 20-km walk, which takes place Sept. 27, will benefit the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.

This is the second big walk for the cause for Tattuinee, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She spent months travelling back and forth for treatment in Winnipeg before being given a clean bill of health and then participated in the 60 km Weekend to End Breast Cancer last year.

"I am doing this again because I want to help in anyway that I can. CancerCare was there for me and I want to give back," she said.

Tanuyak said she wanted to be there to support her sister but also to raise awareness of the issue.

"My niece, she was only 23 when she died of breast cancer. We've been so affected in the family so we're in support of any research," Tanuyak said.

She said she hopes to promote the idea of healthy living along the way.

"We all need to be more responsible with our health. People don't like going to the health centre until it's too late," she explained.

The three women have been keeping active all summer to prepare and have fundraised around the community for the past month.

A recent penny sale brought in more than $2,000 and the group has been pulling in individual donations.

"I'm very thankful to be from here. The people of Rankin are very giving," Berry said.

Tattuinee said she wants to thank Rankin Inlet's residents "for all of their support for our trip down to Winnipeg."

As for the race itself, it seems the message is more important than how well they place.

"It should be interesting. I just hope I can do it. I just don't want to come in last. Otherwise I don't care," Berry said with a laugh.