‘Hope for a cure’: Cancer survivors and supporters gather for annual Run for the Cure

A powerful moment as dozens of cancer survivors gathered for a photo at Victoria Par in London, Ont. ahead of the CIBC Run for the Cure.

However, not everyone in attendance was celebrating.

“In May, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer stage four,” says Evelyn Fehr, of Springfield, Ont.

“Right now, there's not a cure for that.”

Fehr, who beat breast cancer five years ago, is about to go through it all again, but this time the prognosis isn't as good.

“It’s still fresh for us,” says Fehr.

“I want to be there for their (her children) graduation, wedding, everything. We don't know that. Truly, we believe in God, so we believe it's God's plan. Whatever he wants and how long he has for me here on earth, I will take every day one at a time.”

Cole Fehr, Jake Fehr, Evelyn Fehr and Sydney Fehr talk to CTV London at the CIBC Run for the Cure at Victoria Park in London, Ont. on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. Evelyn has been diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Evelyn can possibly take inspiration from people like Katherine Butson, who has just reached her ten year survivor anniversary.

“At the time I was diagnosed, I was told that there had been no research done on the type of aggressive breast cancer I was fighting, and therefore, I had no prognosis of survival,” says Butson.

So she started a team, and began fundraising. In a decade, they've reached more than $250,000.

“Since then, in 2013, due to all the fundraising I was informed by the Canadian Cancer Society, that there is now a project underway funded by the money we raised to look into exactly the breast cancer that I was fighting.”

Among the hundreds in attendance for the run, the U-11 London Devillettes hockey team who were wearing special pink jerseys.

“We like to get those set up for the month of October for ‘Pink the Rink’,” says Chelsea Jongeneelen, a parent of a player on the team.

The U11 London Devilettes pose for a photo wearing pink jerseys in support of Breast Cancer in London, Ont. on (Source: Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“It spreads awareness for breast cancer, and it's really fun for the team to get to have a pink jersey, especially in girls’ hockey. So they get to learn a lot about supporting the community and also get to have a little bit of fun.”

This year's run featured more than 1000 participants, and raised over $360,000 dollars.

Money that can go toward potentially life saving research.

“Our shirts say ‘EVeryday Heroes for a Cure’,” says Fehr.

“Because everyone who has donated, or will donate and anyone that is supporting this whether it be prayers, monetary it’s all for the hope of getting a cure one day.”