By Mark Squibb/June 2, 2022
With the financial impact of COVID-19 still being felt and gas prices having already gone through the roof and yet still somehow continuing to rise, it’s fair to wonder if people still money have to donate to charitable causes like they used to.
Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case in the Witless Bay area, as funds raised in this year’s Strides for Melanoma event have already topped last year’s total of $6,500 — and, at the time of writing, were still climbing.
“We’ve raised almost $7,000, and people are still sending in money, so we haven’t given a final total yet,” said event organizer Beverly Corrigan on Monday evening. “But even more important that that, people are really coming together.”
About a hundred people, including members of the RCMP and Ferryland MHA Loyola O’ Driscoll attended the event held on the Witless Bay Line on Sunday morning. That’s well above last year, when just under 40 people attended, though those numbers could be contributed to the pandemic and a ‘virtual walk’ option.
Opening ceremonies began at 11:30 a.m., followed by a short walk. Melanoma survivors and other special guests gave several presentations. Those in attendance enjoyed snacks, 50/50 and ticket draws, and live entertainment.
The event was able to be held without many of the COVID restrictions that tethered last year’s event, but even still, Corrigan said it was the one Strides for Melanoma event held in person across the country.
Corrigan, who organized the first annual NL Strides for Melanoma in 2020 and each event since, said she’s already looking forward to next year’s event.
“When the event ended, my mind automatically went to next year,” said Corrigan. “How can we improve it next year, how can we get more people involved, how can we spread more awareness?”
And, she’s not the only one.
“People who were leaving last year said, ‘I’ll be back,’ and they were back, and more people said this year, ‘We’ll be back next year,’” she said.
Corrigan said that she doesn’t believe people should live in fear being in the sun, but should instead learn to make informed choices and take measures to protect themselves, such as wearing SPF 50+ broad spectrum sunscreen and appropriate clothing on sunny days (including brimmed hats and sunglasses), even if it is windy and cold, as well as being extra careful during the ‘peak time’ (between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. from March to October.)
“I had just gotten back from Cuba, and I had a great time,” said Corrigan, “I didn’t sunbath, and I was very cautious, and I came back the same colour as I left, but it just goes to show that you don’t have to be afraid to go and enjoy the sunshine.”
The event is held across Canada on May 29 each year to cap of Melanoma Awareness Month.
“All the other provinces would light a building, whether it was the CN Tower or whatever, and I said, ‘One of these years we’ll get that here,’ and we did this year, the Government House was lit up, on May 7. That makes you feel good, knowing that all of the effort is certainly paying off and people are more aware of melanoma and the effects of it, so it’s good to see that we have that extra support out there.”
Corrigan’s battle with melanoma began in March of 2019, when she found a small mole, roughly the size of a pencil eraser, near her left knee. She had a doctor check it out and was diagnosed with melanoma that May. In July, she underwent surgery to have the tumour removed.
If you wish to, you can still donate through the Melanoma Network.
