I would sometimes interrupt our family walks, when I was very young, to pick flowers and pebbles and use them to decorate what I fancifully imagined was going to be the venue for a Pixie’s ball. Although my dad was a logical science teacher and principal, he patiently encouraged my magical reveries. He had a great love of nature and literature. He was curious and he embarked on many different projects in his spare time, including keeping African honeybees and making leather belts and wallets. Our Encyclopedia Britannica set was often the source of creative activities like making fantastically shaped candles using wax crayons and water.

My Dad was an avid hiker, on one multi-day hike when my young brothers and I were carrying all our own gear, he reminded us that nothing worthwhile was easy.

He understood how passionate I became about running and just before my first ultra-marathon he said, “do your best and have fun”.  That mantra continues to inspire me in so many ways. Tragically and way too soon, my dad died of cancer in 2010. I feel for everyone whose lives have been affected by cancer.

I’m participating in the 3rd Annual “Run Your Lungs Out” Treadmill Challenge at Polo Park on April 11, 2025, presented by City Park Runners, to raise awareness and funds for CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.

CancerCare Manitoba Foundation is the only charitable organization exclusively fundraising for CancerCare Manitoba. While CancerCare Manitoba works in partnership with Manitoba Health, some programs and services may not be eligible for government funding. CancerCare Manitoba Foundation raises funds to bridge this gap and help deliver the best research, patient care, treatment and support for all Manitobans and their families living with cancer. 

Each year more than 6,000 Manitobans receive a cancer diagnosis.  Your support helps CancerCare Manitoba and its partners prepare for an estimated 50 per cent increase in the number of people diagnosed and living with cancer over the next decade. 

Every donation helps as we work together to stay ahead of this disease.

Thank you for your consideration.

Warm wishes,

Bridget