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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 9, 2016 | 12 Mom/daughter team repeat OneWalk to Conquer Cancer by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff An Oakville mother and daughter will participate in the Rexall OneWalk to Conquer Cancer Benefiting Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Saturday (Sept. 10) in honour of friends and family touched by the dreaded illness. Heather Veitch and daughter Alexa, 14, have even stepped up their dog walking routine to prepare for the 25 kilometre trek through downtown Toronto. For Heather, this will be the 13th time participating. "It's a very good cause near and dear to so many people, so I thought, `Why don't I do this?' I did it the first year and it was really inspiring and uplifting.... There was so much community and you could just feel the love from everyone," said Heather. Last year, Alexa, a student of White Oaks Secondary School, participated in the walk for the first time. "All throughout my life she (Heather) has been doing lots of charity work. We have a sponsor child in Africa, we've done the heart and stroke walk for many years," said Alexa. "There have been lots of people Heather Veitch (left) and her daughter Alexa will take part in the Rexall OneWalk to Conquer Cancer Saturday (Sept. 10) in Toronto. | Graham Paine/Metroland around us who have had cancer, so after seeing her (Heather) do the walk, I just kind of wanted to do it, too. Finally, last year, when I was old enough, we signed me up, we raised enough money, we did the walk and it was really fun." Recently, the walk has had a much more significant meaning for the pair. About three years ago, Heather's father Robert Veitch was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Treatment has driven the disease into remission, but it took a heavy toll on the 87-year-old. Heather said having a loved one go through cancer is a terrible experience, not only for the person with the disease, but their family as well. For seven months, she said family members visited her father in shifts so he was never alone in the hospital. "It's true what they say. The funding in hospitals is terrible now. The nurses are expected to see 30 people in a day and it is just too hard for them to keep on top of everything," said Heather. Alexa said her uncle Ed Nield was treated for throat cancer a year ago. Following 35 rounds of radiation treatment and chemotherapy his cancer is now also in remission. The battle continues for the husband of one of Heather's close friends dealing with pancreatic cancer. "It's very close to home," said Heather. "In the OneWalk, you are allowed to pick, which cancer your funds go to, so last year, I picked pancreatic cancer. I'm doing pancreatic cancer again this year, so we've been trying to raise as much as possible for that." Alexa is raising funds to combat cancerous brain tumors in honour of the father of a close friend, who died as the result of a brain tumor. The mother and daughter raised funds through an annual garage sale as well as through cookie and perennial sales and by soliciting donations from family and friends. Heather said, this year, she didn't have much for the garage sale, but solved the problem by contacting people they knew who donated items. "People came over with carloads of stuff that had been sitting in their basement and we made $356," she said. "It was great. Some people would just walk by and say, `Here is $20. Put it towards the cancer walk' and not even buy anything. Some people would buy one thing and give you $20 and say, `Keep the change.' It was really a nice day." As of last week, Heather had raised $1,940 while Alexa raised $1,800. Heather said there is no shortage of reasons for residents to support OneWalk to Conquer Cancer. She said the latest statistics indicate around 40 per cent of Canadians will have cancer at some point during their lifetime. "It is going to affect you or your family or your best friend or someone at some point in your life," she said. For more information about the walk, visit www.onewalk.ca. To donate to either Heather's or Alexa's cancer fund, click the donate heading on the site and then type in the name in the field provided. YOUR SAFETY COVER SPECIALISTS FALL INSTALLS AvAILAbLe LEISURE CENTRE MADe IN CANADA PooL CLoSINg wITh PuRChASe oF A SAFeTy CoveR! FRee HIGH EFFICIENCY FURNACE & CENTRAL AIR only starting from AIRE ONE MADNEss sAlE! $ Or * 3990 * $ Call for details 59 /mth OAC* SAmE DAY INStALLAtION 5430 Harvester rD., Burlington 905-631-0837 · 905-389-6610 www.foxpoolandspalc.ca · www.lazboyspas.com AIR CONDITIONER DIAGNOSTIC SPECIAL AR REGUL $ $99.00 www. . 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