Celebrating a Wedding Anniversary?

Carmela and Vito Burdi’s 50 years of marriage to one another was a wonderful cause for celebration. Like most couples reaching  that milestone, they looked back on the challenges along the way that tested and strengthened their relationship. One of those challenges was facing ovarian cancer.

Carmela was completely shocked when she was diagnosed in 2002.  She knew very little about ovarian cancer.  Dr. Barry Rosen at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre offered her the option of standard treatment or enrolling in a clinical trial involving a new experimental drug.  After carefully reading about it with her family, Carmela enrolled in the clinical trial that would later save her life.  With the support of family and friends and with her signature strength and optimism, she is cancer-free.  Carmela and Vito continue to travel and enjoy life. Carmela is very passionate when speaking about The Princess Margaret: “You feel so blessed knowing that you’re alive because of the treatment and research at The Princess Margaret.  The Princess Margaret becomes part of your life.  They are always there for you and I never felt alone.”

10 years after her diagnosis, Carmela and Vito Burdi were starting to plan their 50^th Wedding Anniversary.  It was important for them to celebrate with loved ones and somehow include The Princess Margaret.  “It is so important to give back” said Carmela.  She called The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and was thrilled to learn that there were many ways to do just that.  The opportunity to raise money for cancer research was a source of great pride for The Burdis. “Research is key for the future”.  Not only did they generously make a donation in lieu of favours, but their guests also donated in lieu of gifts.  In Carmela’s words:  “At a certain age, you don’t need any more gifts.”

If you are planning to celebrate your wedding anniversary with family and friends, why not include The Princess Margaret as part of your celebration?  You would be making a meaningful contribution to cancer research and providing hope for the future, a contribution that your guests will no doubt appreciate.

There are many ways to support The Princess Margaret on your special day:

• Make a donation in lieu of traditional favours .
• Ask your guests to make a donation in lieu of a gift . Your guests will know that they have made the perfect gift choice!
• Create a personalized online fundraising page with your photo and special message for your guests.  Family and friends from far and wide can easily join in your celebration.
• If finances allow, consider matching your guests’ donations.

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world.

It is the largest cancer research and clinical program in Canada treating over 19,000 new patients a year with 1 in 5 patients enrolled in a clinical trial.  While caring for some of the most seriously ill cancer patients in the country, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is leading the way in implementing  Personalized Cancer Medicine – developing more minimally-invasive surgical procedures and more effective ways of delivering radiation therapy, evaluating new therapies that stimulate each person’s own immune system to fight tumours, and testing promising new drugs.

Your contributions  would support The Princess Margaret’s world-class researchers and clinicians, compassionate nurses and staff who are all dedicated to conquering cancer. These teams deliver breakthrough research and leading-edge treatments, improving quality of life for patients and giving hope to our loved ones with cancer.

 

For more information about how you can include The Princess Margaret at your celebration, please visit: www.thepmcf.ca/vows or call Mariko Yaguchi-Chow at 416-946-4501 x 5474.