Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Laurel Myers
Two years ago, a former member of the Laurentian University Lady Vees basketball team was diagnosed with breast cancer.
While Carolyn Swords-Sturgess began the fight of her life,
battling through an emotional journey of ups and downs, the
Lady Vees began a crusade of their own in her honour.
In 2008, the team participated in the first Battle for Breast Cancer event, which was spearheaded by the international Women's Basketball Coaches Association, in an effort to raise funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This year marked the second year in a row that close to 45 schools across the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) division have dedicated a home game to the cause.
Swords-Sturgess, 38, was a member of the Lady Vees basketball team from 1989-1994 and was recently inducted into the Laurentian Hall of Fame.
Members of the team have had opportunities to meet Swords-Sturgess through alumni gatherings, and had a chance to learn more about what she is going through. Lady Vees head coach Mike Clarke said meeting a former player helps to put the seriousness, and randomness, of the disease into perspective for the players.
"Some of the girls have had personal experience with this through their own family or friends," he said. "But I think somebody who's been wearing the colours, who's been walking in their shoes, and who's not very old and has been affected by this, I think it just makes everybody realize that it could be anybody.
"It's really opened up their minds."
Clarke explained being a coach in women's athletics, he's seen a lot of players and their families going through the devastation of breast cancer.
"We just decided that we'd like to put some effort into trying to help," he said of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Shoot for the Cure, as it has been named on the national level, raised more than $50,000 a year ago and aimed to double the donation this year. Laurentian was an integral part of that donation last year, with the small school raising more than $2,000. Laurentian's goal this year is $5,000, and the coach said the team is well on the way to achieving that goal.
"This year we've stepped it up," he said. "We're just having tons of great creativity and work by our players ."
This year the Lady Vees took the fundraising to a new level. Projects included designing Pink Army t-shirts, and selling them for $15. The t-shirts will continue to be sold throughout the season and are available at the Laurentian Athletic office. The Lady Vees also held bake sales, and cooked a spaghetti supper for students living in residence during exams.
Ticket sales from Saturday night's game will be added into the total, along with proceeds from a silent auction, and other items sold throughout the game.
For more on this story, see Northern Life newspaper.
