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In stride in Buffalo Hundreds of NYSUT members join fund-raising walks to beat breast cancer  October 22, 2003 Cheektowaga TA's Pat Canfield, wearing her pink'survivor' shirt, stands with colleague Pat Wolf, who has worked alongside her through three school building assignments and a scary bout with breast cancer. FOR MORE INFORMATION: nysut.org/makingstrides When Cheektowaga teacher Pat Canfield received the "bad news" call during her lunch hour 11 years ago, her best friend and colleague Pat Wolf was at her side - and was even the one who took her to the hospital that afternoon for a biopsy. "They told me to come to the hospital right after school - I didn't even have time to reach my husband," said Canfield, a middle school science teacher. "I remember I was so upset I didn't think I could drive there myself, so Pat took me." The two stood strong together through two more surgeries and a round of radiation treatments to rid Canfield of the deadly disease. So it was only fitting the two remained side by side at the western New York "Making Strides" event, walking together to raise funds to fight breast cancer. The Oct. 5 walks in Buffalo and Binghamton drew more than 1,000 New York State United Teachers members, raising tens of thousands of dollars. Thousands more unionists and their families will be hitting the pavement again in nearly a dozen walks on Oct 19. For the second year in a row, NYSUT is a statewide flagship sponsor of the American Cancer Society event. Last year, more than 7,500 NYSUT members raised an estimated $500,000 for ACS research, education, patient support and advocacy. The walks draw survivors, those who have lost loved ones and a huge contingent of young walkers who hope the disease can be tamed during their generation. In Buffalo, survivors wear bright pink shirts and paint their hands to make a giant handprint banner that hangs at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. "When you add your name, handprint and how long it's been, it's a very emotional experience," said Canfield, who was first diagnosed at age 42. "It makes you feel tremendously grateful and you also realize how far you've come." - Sylvia Saunders |
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