MB
October 5, 2009 | Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB - October 5, 2009 - Downtown commuters and workers were shocked last Thursday, October 1, to see the CDI College Winnipeg Campus building looking like a pink flower garden with the windows filled with pink ribbons and balloons. Even outside of CDI, there were pink balloons and streamers looking like they sprouted in their floral displays around each pole and parking meter.
No, CDI College is not offering an agricultural program, yet. Instead, CDI College has been the proud sponsor of a tremendous effort to raise money, support and awareness for "Run for the Cure". With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many organizations and individuals are co-operating to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation with CDI College in Winnipeg kicking off the charge.
Michaela Kissova, one of the Instructors in CDI College's Dental Assisting Diploma Program, was inspired last year to support "Run for the Cure" following the impact that Breast Cancer had on one of her colleagues who is suffering from this disease.
After her co-worker left to seek treatment, Kissova decided to do something, "I have to do this for her," she said, "I realized what a huge thing this is for her and her family. It scared me - I checked out the website (for Breast Cancer Research and the Run) and the rest is our success." Within one month of her first year of fundraising, she successfully raised $1200 through her participation in the run and a highly popular cupcake sale at CDI College.
This year, the cupcake sale was back - Bigger and Better! With near sell out results, Kissova, CDI staff and students transformed the main lobby of CDI College into a giant pink party room. Hundreds of balloons, streamers and over 200 staff and students dressed in pink hungry to buy the delicious cupcakes.
Said Tahl East, Director of CDI College, Winnipeg Campus, "We knew we had to support both our staff member recovering from her breast cancer treatment as well as the huge effort Michaela made. This year we were going to make a difference." However, even East was surprised by the tremendous show of support.
"We encouraged staff and students to wear pink and over 95% of the students and all the staff wore pink, even the guys." East said proudly, "Painting CDI pink is the least we can do. Education is about awareness and involvement that affect all of us in some form."
Students were invited to put up a pink sheet honouring the name of a person in their life who had been afflicted with breast cancer. "The numbers of our students who had one or more names to share was staggering. Breast cancer really does impact almost everyone," East explained, "We knew that our awareness campaign and fundraiser touched more than just a handful of people."
CDI College had large gatherings of every student who wore pink in the main lobby and stairwell. "It was standing room only," said East, "Even the local media was there to film our morning and afternoon class."
The representatives of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation were on hand to encourage and cheer on the students on Thursday. "It was great, they provided prizes and pink ribbons and pink buttons as well as thanked our students and staff." East said.
The support of students was not just shown by wearing pink. "They put their money where their mouth was," East proudly said explaining that students were incredibly generous in their donations. "These are students making ends meet but they were really giving. One student came and donated a $50 bill." In total, the Thursday fundraiser earned $539.17.
On Sunday, October 4, Kissova ran for the second timefor The Cure to breast cancer. She knew she was not running alone. She was running with the hopes and prayers of the staff and students of CDI College in Winnipeg as she was running for life, hope and The Cure.