This fall's Virtual Walk to Fight All Cancers saw much success in the Eastern Townships, raising over $80,000.
In its 21st edition, citizens and business owners participated in support of the cause. The walk was coordinated by the Yamaska Valley Optimist Club (YVOC), in collaboration with the Brome-Missisquoi Perkins Foundation (BMP Foundation), and ran from Oct. 2-Nov. 2. The Virtual Walk originally raised $76,000 and, despite its conclusion, donations are being accepted up until Christmas.
As a result, the new total amount raised is $82,700. All money raised by the walk is helping finance the purchase of equipment for the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital (BMP Hospital) to improve the quality and access to care and to increase the comfort of patients.
“This walk has been going on for I would say about 25 years. It was first started by my colleague of the YVOC Janet Gibbons, with Pat Duncan, when they owned the gym (in Knowlton),” recounted Louise Gelinas, co-chair of the committee that organizes the walk. “It started small, but eventually as it became bigger they asked the YVOC to support them in this.”
With a mission to support children in Brome-Missisquoi, the YVOC took on the initiative.
“We thought that, you know, most women that have breast cancer are mothers and have children. By helping the mothers, we help the children because when your mother is sick, it’s hard on the kids,” said Gelinas.
While the entire community usually gets together in support of the walk, the YVOC kept the event in virtual mode for a third year out of safety reasons related to the ongoing pandemic. This way, people could choose whom they wanted to walk with.
“We think we had about 600 donors. People could do their own little groups and walk together. We had some people that raised quite a bit of money just by doing health challenges, like LJH Transport and Distribution raised $2,500 and had a health challenge for two weeks,” highlighted Gelinas. “People did it their own way and it was a success. We are so happy.”
Another group that has supported various editions of the walk, “Friends For Life,” raised $9,580 for the cause.
“It doesn’t take much to have great results. It’s just to be mobilized and to keep up with the projects that people have in mind,” said Francis Laramée, executive director of the BMP Foundation.
We are very happy to tell the community that in all of the newspapers articles that you saw and photos it was written $76,000, but at the moment we have $82,700, highlighted Gelinas.
“And we still think we have some coming. People can still give until Christmas to the cancer walk. It’s really beyond our expectations and we are so appreciative for all of the community to do this for us, to help our hospital, and to help everybody at the same time,” she said.
“75 per cent of all of the donations that we have collected are coming from the Brome-Missisquoi area. (…) It’s always heartwarming that every year people come together, they make it work, and they make this success happen. It’s quite impressive,” added Laramée.
The Walk to Fight All Cancers will help to finance the acquisition of several pieces of equipment for the BMP Hospital for a total value of nearly $100,000, including a new Novasure machine.
“This is specifically for feminine interventions. Also, vital sign monitors for the oncology clinic. They will be able to provide updates on the vital signs of the patients while they are doing chemo treatments. That way nurses can react proactively if someone has a reaction or if someone isn’t feeling well,” explained Laramée.
The walk supports the BMP Hospital every year, making it an important fundraiser for the local community.
“I think people here really have their hospital at heart. Knowing where their money goes is a big plus because they know what specifically they are walking for and what we want to raise. It makes them more motivated to participate and we encourage them to continue,” mentioned Gelinas.
To learn more, visit the Virtual Walk to Fight All Cancers website.
Listen to the full interview below: