The Shoppers Drug Mart OneWalk to Conquer Cancer announces over $7.5 million raised as inaugural event commences in Toronto

Next generation fundraiser draws 4,523 participants in support of Personalized Cancer Medicine at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - The Shoppers Drug Mart OneWalk to Conquer Cancer announced 4,523 participants raised over $7.5 million for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as the inaugural walk commenced in Toronto on Saturday. Funds raised support Personalized Cancer Medicine, the new gold standard in cancer care, at The Princess Margaret.

"The Shoppers Drug Mart OneWalk to Conquer Cancer is unlike any other charity walk for cancer in existence and we are so thankful to the community of walkers, sponsors, donors, crew members and volunteers who have enabled the inaugural event to be an extraordinary success," said Paul Alofs, President and CEO of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

"Forty percent of Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. For the first time, walkers have raised funds for the cancer they care most about and support our mission to conquer all forms of cancer in our lifetime. The Princess Margaret takes great pride in its continuing legacy of research excellence, as one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world.  We will continue to ask the question that is the basis of all research: 'why?' Why is in our DNA at The Princess Margaret and this vital $7.5 million raised through this next generation fundraiser will help The Princess Margaret continue to lead the way in Personalized Cancer Medicine. Funds raised enable our world-leading scientists and clinicians to detect cancers earlier, diagnose cancer with more precision and target treatment for each patient, while providing additional support for patients and their families throughout their cancer journey," Alofs added.

The annual 25 km walk through Toronto's downtown neighbourhoods brings together communities of survivors and their supporters who spend months fundraising and training in order to participate. Walkers have designated their dollars raised to one of the following cancer funds at The Princess Margaret: Discovery Research, Breast, Gynecologic, Lung, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary, Genitourinary, Blood Cancers, Endocrine, Skin Cancer and Melanoma, Head and Neck Cancers, Central Nervous System Cancers, Brain and Eye Cancer, Sarcoma, and Childhood Cancers. 

"My husband Mark passed away from cancer this past August after fighting a very aggressive, uncharacterized lymphoma, a disease for which he received treatment at The Princess Margaret," said Carrie Campbell, OneWalk participant from Huntsville, Ontario.

"Mark's cancer was so rare that there was no protocol or standard of treatment. There are still lymphomas and other cancers out there and we need to keep raising funds so others do not experience what my family is going through. The Princess Margaret did everything they could to prolong Mark's life and I will be forever grateful. To give back, I am walking in OneWalk and on Team Cancer Crusaders in Mark's honour," Campbell added.

Shoppers Drug Mart is the title sponsor of OneWalk to Conquer Cancer, and over and above their support, Shoppers Drug Mart has engaged over 700 walkers to participate on event day. Over the past six years their support of The Princess Margaret has raised over $3.3 million. Their particular focus is that of women's health, including women's cancer care as part of their Shoppers LOVE YOU program. Shoppers LOVE YOU encourages women to live their best life by putting their health first. Shoppers Drug Mart partnership enables The Princess Margaret to invest more funds raised through OneWalk into their core cancer programs.

"The mission to conquer cancer in our lifetime, including women's cancers, is very personal to Shoppers Drug Mart employees, along with our community of friends and family members, as we have all been touched by different forms of cancer," said Mike Motz, President, Shoppers Drug Mart.

"Congratulations to everyone who is participating in the Shoppers Drug Mart OneWalk to Conquer Cancer and supporting the world-class research and care that takes place every day, at The Princess Margaret. We are fortunate to have a world-renowned cancer centre in Toronto, and in order to conquer the disease, the community needs to continue raising crucial funding. Shoppers Drug Mart remains focused on caring for the health and well-being of Canadians, and the 700 members on Team Shoppers Drug Mart are honoured to be a part of this extraordinary event," Mr. Motz added.

Organizers released September 10 as the date for the 2016 event, and encourage people of all athletic abilities to participate in the second annual OneWalk to Conquer Cancer.  

"Register today at our re-registration tent, visit us online at www.onewalk.ca or call us at 416-815-9255," Alofs concluded.

OneWalk organizers expect thousands of Torontonians to attend public cheering stations throughout the city. For a map of the event route, visit www.onewalk.ca. 

ABOUT THE PRINCESS MARGARET CANCER CENTRE – CLICK HERE
ABOUT THE CAMPBELL FAMILY CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET CANCER CENTRE – CLICK HERE
ABOUT THE PRINCESS MARGARET CANCER FOUNDATION – CLICK HERE
ABOUT SHOPPERS DRUG MART – CLICK HERE

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SOURCE Shoppers Drug Mart OneWalk to Conquer Cancer

For further information: Leviana Coccia, Communications Coordinator, [phone], [email protected]