Kim walks for Phyllis

The Blackberry attached to my hip vibrated alerting me to another email message. The subject line said: A very special request for your support.

“Hi Gary. On September 5- 7, 2008, I will be participating in a very special event called the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. I will walk 60 kilometres over the course of the weekend with thousands of other women and men.” The sender asked for my financial support towards her personal fundraising goal of $3,200. The email was signed: Kim Gretzky Kohler.

“I learned about the walk at the gym,” Kim said a couple of days later when we met. “Mom died two years ago from cancer and not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. For 10- months she fought the disease and as a family member you are there, but was there more I could do?” Kim continued, “A few of the girls at the gym are cancer survivors and I thought if they can fight and succeed then I can walk in a fundraiser to help find a cure.”

Within a couple of days of learning of the walk Kim had her 4- person team in place. “I spoke with my neighbour Anita Grover; each of us has lost loved ones to cancer and we pulled our team together quickly. Now we need to obtain at least $2,000 each in pledges, $8,000 for the team to enter.” 

Anita talked about challenging herself to walk, or crawl, the 60- kilometers the weekend of the event in Toronto this coming September. Anita’s walk is in memory of her dad, Daniel, and Grandpa Spicer.

The other team members are Kathleen Curtin and Debbie Donatelli.

Kathleen is dedicating her walk to Sandra Heys, a close friend who lost her battle to cancer 6- years ago. “She had such a zest for life and was always laughing.” Kathleen is also walking in memory of her brother, Vic, who passed away at Christmas from cancer, and her father, Vic senior who died 5- years ago from cancer. Meanwhile, Debbie is dedicating her trek to numerous family members affected by cancer- Aunt Beth, Uncle Charlie and her sister-in-law’s grandmother, Edith. 

The big weekend is approaching this fall and the team is already training. With hockey season over Kim has more time to get ready. “My kids are very proud of me for doing this for Grandma Phyllis. They said they will be there at the finish line.”

Kim and her husband, Ian, attended an orientation session in Hamilton about the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. “It was overwhelming; not a dry eye in the room. They showed a video of last years walk with more than 5,000 participants. Everyone walks 30- kilometers on both Saturday and Sunday.”  

Kim is determined to finish the walk and do her part to end breast cancer. She says “it is something in her heart that she wants to do; this really means a lot to me.”

If you would like to make a donation to Kim, in honour of Phyllis, surf over to Kim’s page at www.to08.endcancer.ca. Once at the site, click ‘sponsor a participant’ and enter Kim Kohler, Anita Grover, Kathleen Curtin, or Debbie Donatelli. Please read their stories and remember Phyllis.

Gary Chalk is senior executive director- public affairs and development for the Brant Community Healthcare System. Brantford General is a regional health centre providing primary, emergency and specialized services. The Willett, Paris, is a multi- service health centre providing urgent care, primary and community outreach programs.