Think Pink

Mayor Vic Fedeli and MP Anthony Rota help Tammy Megginson think pink.

With the reading of a proclamation from Mayor Vic Fedeli Friday September 15, 2006 officially became Pink Day for the city of North Bay.

The early morning event hosted by the downtown CIBC staff in support of the Breast Cancer Association officially kicked off the 2nd annual CIBC Run for the Cure.

Tammy Megginson, Run Director, said the staff personally witnessed and felt the pain of Breast Cancer as they lost a co-worker to the disease.

“This year we’ve got something behind us a little more. She was going through it last year when we did our first annual and she participated and everything, and this year we thought she’d be able to participate again and be our honorary spokesperson, but unfortunately we lost her a couple months ago.”

Megginson says the loss of their colleague changed the dynamic of the event bringing the North Bay staff closer and more determined to make a difference.

“We got more people participating … more people helping in the background and what not,” she says

“So it made everybody step up to the plate, and take a part in the committee, right through from the tellers to the cash room all the way up to the management. So it gave everyone an opportunity to really come out and build it from there.”

Invited guest MP Anthony Rota identifies with what the CIBC staff has experienced and applauds their efforts.

“I think what happens is as soon as you have that common thread, like I say I have a staff member, my mother has gone through it and I have many friends that have had breast cancer,” he explains.

“But the nice thing is that they all survived. And it’s groups like this, it starts with the grass root coming together and then start working towards making a difference.”

Rota says with all the advances made and new treatments it’s a very hopeful time but that he looks forward to an end.

“What we’d really like to see is prevention and a complete cure so we don’t have to go through this, and I think it’s about keeping up hope that one day and hopefully soon we’ll be able to find that.”

The CIBC Run for the Cure will take place on Sunday, October 1st at the North Bay Waterfront to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Research.

Interested parties who want to participate can pick up a registration form at either the downtown or Algonquin Avenue branches.