Volunteers in Cape Breton surpassed their fundraising goals in the first-ever Bladder Cancer Awareness Walk on Sunday.
Organizers say they nearly tripled their goal of $5,000 during Sunday’s event, raising over $13,000 by the day’s end.
Tanya Gracie is a mother of three who is currently fighting the disease. The 38-year-old has undergone five surgeries and 12 rounds of chemotherapy.
Even with her most recent surgery being last Wednesday, she still attended Sunday’s walk.
“My heart is bursting with gratitude for the amount of support," said Gracie.
Gracie’s mother Shirley Jardine isn’t surprised by her dedication.
“She just never stops,” said Jardine. “She's just a bundle of energy.”
Organizers say bladder cancer is fifth most common type of cancer in Canada, but many Canadians have never heard of it.
That’s something they’re hoping to change.
"I think this [walk] is just the start of it,” said participant Natalie Paris. “I think this is going to continue to grow and grow.”
For Gracie, she hopes events like these happen on a yearly basis.
"If you can get the information out there and potentially save one life, that is priceless," she said.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
