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The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival was held on Sunday September 20 on a beautiful and sunny Sydney morning. More than 100 people were 'Running for BCNA' and looked fantastic in their bright pink bandanas.
BCNA was one of the supporter charities for this year's event and so our fabulous volunteers staffed a merchandise and information table at the beginning line at Milsons Point. Many supporters purchased a bandana to wear in the event or chose to have a Pink Lady on their attire to display their support for breast cancer survivors.
A very big thankyou to all our volunteers who braved the early morning start to help us sell so much merchandise and give the event a 'touch of pink'. Thank you to every participant who fundraised for BCNA and who helped us to spread the word about our organisation.
More than 100 participants chose to fundraise for BCNA because breast cancer has touched their lives in someway.
Here are three inspiring stories.
James Coleman
From a pack a day to 42k for BCNA
James Coleman has never run a marathon before. Until recently he was smoking a packet of cigarettes a day and struggled to run to the corner shop. All that changed when his girlfriend Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year at just 32 years of age. Seeing the difference the My Journey Kit made to Karen's ability to cope with her diagnosis and manage her medical appointments, James decided to step up, get into gear and run the full Sydney Marathon.
James may have been last to cross the finish line but he is leading the pack when it comes to fundraising for BCNA having already surpassed his fundraising goal of $5,000. What’s more James is not stopping there - he is determined to encourage donations for his effort through to the end of November, well after his aching muscles have healed.
Sean Harris
Fourteen year old Sean Harris had no problem deciding to enter the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.
Earlier this year Sean had taken part in his first official running event, and he was keen to do it again. His motivation - to show support for his mum Tina who is a breast cancer survivor. Sean built up his fitness with athletics training and signed up to the Blackmores run, encouraged by his uncle and cousin, both experienced competitors.
Having decided on the 9kM category, the choice of charity was simple. Knowing only too well the impact of breast cancer on his mum and his family, Sean decided to use his run to fundraise for Breast Cancer Network Australia.
Aiming to complete the run in under an hour, Sean felt pretty pleased to come in at 51 minutes 58 seconds. Asked how he felt about his achievement, Sean said: "It felt pretty good to do to the run and I felt proud of myself not just for the time I ran, but knowing I was helping my mum and supporting a good cause. I think she was pretty proud of me too."
Sean is also feeling pretty happy that he has passed the $1,000 mark and is well on into the next thousand, determined to continue fundraising and reach his target of $2,000 for BCNA.
Marie Harlech-Jones
Taking part in the Sydney Running Festival 2009 – Revised - By Marie Harlech-Jones
I first heard of Blackmores Sydney Running Festival half-way through my radiation treatment through the Bosom Buddies support group in Canberra. I decided to enter with my husband, Brian, who not only enjoys walking but also wanted to support me.
Brian and I do a lot of exercise so, the effects of treatment aside, I wasn’t too apprehensive about handling the event. There was another aspect to my decision to participate in the running festival, namely that I felt that it was a way of showing friends and family that I was well on the way to recovery.
I wore the Pink Lady Survivor Pin during the event, and I have been wearing it ever since. During the race, I wore the pink bandana on my head while Brian wore his over the crown of his hat. Both of us wore the pink lady cut-outs pinned to our backs.
The walk across Sydney Bridge was really exciting, as I had only ever crossed it by train. We enjoyed the experience so much that at a few points Brian had me walking backwards so that he could photograph me against the backdrop of the bridgework. We crossed the finishing line in one hour and 25 minutes, which I felt was very good going (for our ages, anyway – I am 65 years of age, and Brian is 64 going on 65!).
Marie has since raised $900 for BCNA – Well done Marie.
Last update: October 2009
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