April 6, 2021 | Alberta

A CDI College campus in Edmonton was inspired to raise $5,000 for charity in a moving show of support for an employee who was diagnosed with cancer.

The Campuses Crushing Cancer campaign launched in early March and surpassed its original fundraising goal within days. The students and staff then continued their efforts, collecting a total of $3,000 by month’s end. CDI College also provided a boost to the fundraising campaign with an additional $2,000 contribution.

“We decided on this fundraiser because the student services coordinator at our Edmonton West campus, Cheri Stewart, was diagnosed with breast cancer in January and this hit our campus very hard as we are all close work family. We wanted to find a way to show our support for her starting her treatments and for all others going through this at our other campuses,” says Jessica Simnovec, Campus Director.

Simnovec says she and others from the campus also plan to shave their heads in a further show of support for Stewart.

All of the donations will go to the Cross Cancer Institute, a treatment and care centre in Edmonton. The institute provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, including chemotherapy, MRI exams, shuttles to appointments, workshops, and a wig salon. In 2020, it was estimated that over 20,000 people in Alberta would be diagnosed with the disease, says the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Stewart chose the Cross Cancer Institute as the focus of the fundraiser because of the extraordinary support it provides to patients.

“We commend our Edmonton West campus community for their outstanding generosity towards this vital cause that touches so many of our lives. We are proud to provide our support to help further advance the excellent quality of treatment that patients receive in Alberta. Giving back to the community is an essential part of the CDI College student experience and we welcome every opportunity to support our campuses across Canada in their efforts,” says Andre Souza, Chief Operating Officer.