THUNDER BAY- For Ruthanne Francis, the past 20 years of her life can be described with one very important word: thriving.
“Thriving means you don’t simply survive, you take advantage of the time you have, you do what you want to do, you enjoy life, you get the most out of it, live for every day,” she said. “Because none of us knows what is going to happen tomorrow.”
Francis certainly didn’t know that she would be diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42, but now 20 years later, still a survivor and still thriving, she shared a positive message of hope to other women facing a diagnoses, fellow survivors, and everyone running to find a cure for breast cancer.
The 22nd Annual CIBC Run for the Cure saw more than 500 people brave a cold Sunday morning to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.
“It’s to create awareness and showing us that we are making changes and headway,” said run director, Bonnie Tittaferrante. “A lot of people come with a lot of emotions about the survival rates going up.”
It is estimated that one in eight women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2017, 26,300 women were diagnosed, making it the most common cancer among women. However, the five-year survival rate for women in Canada with breast cancer is now 87 per cent.
“Hope is what leads us forward and brings us all together every year,” Tittaferrante said. “Every year we get a little closer to making improvements to treatments and hopefully eventually having hope of no breast cancer at all.”
According to Tittaferrante, as of Saturday night, the local Run for the Cure had already raised more than $43,000, well on the way to the $61,000 goal. The money raised is used by the Canadian Cancer Society to fund research, as well as support services for women undergoing and following treatment.
Francis said for anyone facing a cancer diagnosis, it is important not to be overwhelmed, despite cancer being such a scary word. She spoke of her own experiences being diagnosed, but also about being a 20-year survivor.
“It was pretty special to bring a positive spin to breast cancer but still acknowledge the struggles that everybody goes through,” she said. “I’m very lucky. It’s been 20 years, so I have a different perspective than some of the people going through cancer right now and I just wanted to bring that to everybody and remind them that there is always hope.”
Hope is at the heart of every Run for the Cure. For Amelia Bobrowicz, who, along with members of Applause Productions, sang to welcome the Parade of Survivors, the run gives her hope.
“If we don’t have hope, we can’t do anything,” she said.
At just 13-years-old, Amelia understands how important it is to support those who are faced with such a difficult diagnoses and fight, which is why she was proud to be a part of the run and sing to welcome the survivors.
“I think if we help out and give support, I think if anything happens to us, we will have that support as well,” she said.
Before the run began, Francis led everyone in proclaiming that ‘today we run to make breast cancer beatable.’ No one knows what tomorrow may bring, so people continue to run and fight today, through good days and bad, until a tomorrow when breast cancer has been beaten.
“A bad day is only one day and no matter what you are going through, fight on so the next day is better,” Francis said. “There is always hope.”
