2017 Annual Report

“In a year filled with grief, the Rexall OneWalk to Conquer Cancer allowed me to channel my energy into something positive,” says Jake Goodbaum. In 2016, Jake’s father, Joe, died suddenly of pancreatic cancer. He was just 57 years old – and it was just two months after his diagnosis. Devastated by the loss, Jake, his sisters Jana and Ali, and their mother Corinne struggled to find a way through their collective heartbreak. As time passed, they chose to honour Joe by raising funds in his memory. He had been a long- time supporter of The Princess Margaret, so the Rexall OneWalk to Conquer Cancer seemed a perfect fit. Not only would the Goodbaums be able to involve a wider circle of Joe’s friends and family, they’d also be able to allocate funds directly to pancreatic cancer research. More than 75 people joined the team, known as the Purple Hearts and raised over $171,000, making them the Walk’s top fundraisers of 2016. But they’re not stopping there! Planning has already begun for 2017, and Jake says he’s looking forward to honoring his dad once again. “The impact our team had gave my family reason to celebrate.” A Team Full of Love, a Team of Purple Hearts “I’m walking because it’s what I can do.” That’s how Angie Morris introduced herself at this year’s opening ceremony. She was met with nods of recognition from the crowd, who all came to walk, because that’s what they could do. For Angie, the act had special significance. She was still recovering from a high-risk procedure to remove a tumour that had developed next to her spine. Her doctors had advised against it because there was a good chance it would leave her paralyzed – if she survived. But without the surgery, her cancer was likely to become unmanageable. “I can never explain what it felt like to hear that news. I wanted to sink into the floor, to be swallowed whole in that moment.” Angie met with four different surgeons, heard all of their concerns, and told them she wanted to go ahead anyway. She felt the procedure was her best hope. And it worked. Against all odds, the surgery was a “miracle success,” in her words. “I believed,” she told her fellow participants. “I believed, and I’m still here.” Angie Morris Inspires a Crowd of Walkers The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation | 39 TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS