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Donning heels to help heal Heather Lange Northern News Services Published Friday, August 12, 2011
Yellowknifers will have a chance to participate or support the high-altitude run at this year's themed CIBC Run For Our Lives event. Run For Our Lives is the fundraising event to support NWT breast cancer programs, services and equipment with all of the money staying in the territory. This being the seventh year for Run For Our Lives, organizers wanted to add a twist to the event. Instead of the traditional run, they are asking participants to wear high heels to run about 50 metres at 12 p.m. on Sept. 30, at the Somba K'e Civic Plaza. First up will be the individuals competing against each other, followed by the team event, where teams of five will file into lanes and hold on to each other to create giant caterpillars and race to the finish line. Teams and individuals will be competing for bragging rights and trophies for the best team spirit and the most money raised. One of the services the organization helps fund is a patient navigator position at Stanton Territorial Hospital. "This position is the nurse who helps patients and their family go through the journey from being diagnosed, to what the different steps are, answering their questions and pointing them in the right direction for resources," said Rebecca Alty, the executive chair of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation. Five or six years ago, Patty Olexin-Lang who is now the chair for the Run For Our Lives event, joined the non-profit organization after having a close friend die from breast cancer. "From that time on I knew I wanted to make a difference somehow," said Olexin-Lang. She also said because the money was going to be kept locally for NWT breast cancer survivors, services and equipment, it made the choice easier to join. Olexin-Lang said doing a short run in heels was a new idea from members to add some variety to the event. "The whole group of us is excited about the twist. It will be a different dynamic and we will do it this year and see how it goes. Hopefully the community takes it on and we really get a good response from it," said Olexin-Lang. Last year, the event raised $181,000, had 252 participants and reached the goal of raising $1,000,000 over the six years it had been running. Run for Our Lives donated $300,000 toward the Stanton Territorial Hospital to purchase a digital mammography machine, a machine that would make early detection of breast cancer more probable. The mammography machine will hopefully be in operation at the hospital within a few months, say hospital officials. Wendy Anderson, branch manager for the CIBC said, the Run For Our Lives event is an off-shoot of another national event CIBC supports called Run for the Cure which started about 15 years ago. Anderson said when CIBC was approached by a group of women wanting to start up Run For Our Lives, the bank fully supported the new event. "We have supported Run For Our Lives since the first year. It was a group of women in the community who felt the money we raise in the North, should stay in the North to support Northern programs and to support Northern breast cancer patients and survivors," said Anderson. CIBC will be participating in a team event and challenges businesses and organizations around town to join in on the fun. "We are going to be challenging the other banks here in Yellowknife to put in a team as well as challenging the RCMP, the mines, teachers and anyone who can put together a team in support of the high-heeled dash this year," said Anderson. CIBC Run For Our Lives will also be having the traditional run in Hay River, Norman Wells and Inuvik in September. For more information or to sign up visit the event's website.
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