BY PAUL HERRIDGE
The Southern Gazette
The Grand Bank native, who now lives in the capital city, plans to participate again next year and acknowledged she has additional inspiration for the upcoming event.
Just recently, a close friend, a 31-year-old mother of three, underwent a double mastectomy.
“It’s not only 40-year-olds and 50-year-olds (who are affected), you can be so young as 25.”
Started in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2010, Bust a Move fundraising events are now being hosted annually in seven cities across the country.
Organized locally by the Health Care Foundation and the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation in St. John’s, in each of the first two years, Bust a Move has raised more than $300,000, with the money earmarked for breast cancer initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Throughout the day-long event, Ms. Cox explained participants, who can sign up as individuals or teams and commit to fundraise a minimum of $1,000, dress up in crazy costumes and take part in a variety of fitness sessions.
“It’s not only women. There are men there, too. They were all dressed up in pink, having fun. You meet a lot of different people.”
Celebrity guest speakers have so far included fitness icon Richard Simmons and Canadian figure skating champion Elizabeth Manley. Professional ballroom dancer Derek Hough of Dancing with the Stars will attend the upcoming event.
“It’s not only 40-year-olds and 50-year-olds (who are affected), you can be so young as 25.” – Joanne Cox
Earlier this month, as she did last fall, Ms. Cox held a pair of Saturday fundraisers in Grand Bank, a Zumba morning session with Rosalind Boland at Partanna Auditorium and an evening dance at Mariner’s Pub.
She is hoping to exceed the $1,500 she raised for this year’s Bust a Move and said she has been thrilled with the support from her hometown.
“I keep coming out because I’ve got lots of friends still out here, and everybody seems to get involved when it comes to breast cancer.”
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month across Canada.
According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s website, breast cancer deaths have decreased by 42 per cent since peaking in the mid-1980s, due to earlier detection through regular mammography screening, advances in screening technology and improved treatments.
Still, it remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Canadian women after lung cancer.
Ms. Cox, whose great aunt is a breast cancer survivor, suggested women must be proactive.
“You can catch it. That’s the whole thing. We try to get it out there and let women know, go get tested.
“Do your regular checkups and if you feel anything, go get tested, because you can get cured. You can live for years to come.”
pherridge@southerngazette.ca
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