The Team
The Walking for the Breast Reason is made up of myself, Karen Coleman, and the love of my life, Joseph Calderone.
Joseph's hometown is Brantford, Ontario and I come from Acton, Ontario but originate from the UK. We now live in Cambridge, Ontario with our three cats: Pippin, Precious and Shadow.
In 2007, I created this website to help with our fundraising efforts for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, an epic 420 km journey that we embarked on in the fight against breast cancer. Since then, fundraising for breast cancer has become an integral part of our lives.
Since March 2006, with the help of our generous donors, Think Pink calendar and prize draw sponsors as well as stores that have allowed us to fundraise, we have raised over $60,000 for breast cancer research, care and education with proceeds benefitting leading cancer research centres in Canada.
Why we began fundraising
In the summer of 2005, Joseph's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer - the day before I met her for the first time at a family barbecue. Despite the bad news she put on a brave face and welcomed me to the family. The following October she had breast surgery and the lump was removed. Again she put on a brave face - you wouldn't have even known she was going in for surgery. In the spring of 2006, after several tests, she was thankfully given the all clear.
By this time Joseph and I had started walking on weekends. Joseph had heard of The Weekend to End Breast Cancer and suggested that we do something positive with all the walking we were doing. So, in March we registered for the 2006 Toronto walk - his mom being our inspiration!
New to fundraising, we managed to raise around $4,350 between us, and trained hard through the summer ready for our first 60 km walk. In September that year, we joined more than 5000 people in the journey to END BREAST CANCER walking 60 km through the downtown streets of Toronto, and together we raised $17 million for breast cancer research, care and education.
What an amazing experience!
The Weekend to End Breast Cancer was an awe inspiring and amazing experience. We witnessed so much emotion on the faces of the breast cancer survivors arriving at the finish line despite their pain and anguish. They exhibited so much courage and commitment to such a worth while cause. Such a sense of achievement. Such inspiration. We wanted to do it all again. And we wanted to raise even more money for breast cancer research, care and education.
Read about our journey since 2006 »