CIS Schools raise over $140,000 to fight Breast Cancer

WINDSOR, Ont. – The CIS Women’s Basketball Coaches Association proudly announced Sunday the organization had raised $104,763.53 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in 2010-11 thanks to its fourth annual Shoot For The Cure initiative.

The impressive amount was unveiled before the 2011 CIS championship final at the University of Windsor’s St. Denis Centre.

Jeff Speedy, President of the WBCA and head coach at the University of New Brunswick, presented a cheque to Shayla Barker and Ingrid Kerker-Lutsch, Windsor run directors of the CBCF-CIBC Run for the Cure, as well as Barbara Catauro, CBCF community representative for the Windsor area.

An additional $38,832.72 was amassed by schools that elected to donate their fundraised money to local organizations, bringing the 2010-11 Shoot For The Cure overall total to $143,596.25.

This marked the fourth edition of the initiative, launched in 2007-08 to raise awareness and money to fight the deadly disease. CIS women’s basketball programs had collected $50,320.87 for the CBCF three years ago, $81,512.96 in 2008-09 (with an additional $11,000 donated to local groups), and $94,650.96 last year (plus $10,064.84 to local groups).

The four-year overall total stands at $391,145.88.

This season, 41 CIS schools – up from 36 a year ago – participated by holding one or numerous fundraising games or activities over the course of the campaign.

Among the most successful activities, the University of Waterloo amassed $21,667 with an event that involved most of the school’s varsity teams. Cape Breton, UNB and Ottawa all raised over $13,000.

The Final 8 organizing committee also donated $2,500, while Ontario Basketball contributed $800.

“This was our most successful Shoot For The Cure initiative to date, both in terms of money raised and the number of teams that participated,” said Speedy. “I am so proud of our student-athletes and women’s basketball coaches for their hard work and leadership in raising funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and also for being such great roles models. This is a great moment but the greatest moment of all will be when we can announce that we have a cure for breast cancer. Until that day, we will keep using the Shoot For The Cure initiative to do our part.” 

For more information on the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation or to make a donation, visit:

(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Media Officer)