Over 23-hundred dollars was raised at yesterdays 3rd Annual Cancer Awareness Walk in Hazelton.  This year’s donations were giving to Cops for Cancer Tour De North as they were able to meet participants of the walk last night for dinner.  The Cancer Awareness Walk began at the Hagwilget hall parking lot and went across the bridge to Gitanmaax hall, where the participants were greeted by a grizzly bear.

Cops for Cancer participant says this is an inspiring journey, “I saw everybody and what they were doing and it sound like a fantastic cause and a really good way to help out when you’re really not sure what to do to help in the battle of cancer but it just seemed like a really good thing to do.”

The Awareness Walk is more than about supporting those who have battled or survived cancer, it's also about bringing the community together. Hagwilget Representative Robert Sebastian says, “ Bringing natives and non - natives together and no better force to bring it through,  is the RCMP and what they are doing.”

Awareness Walk Event Coordinator Raechelle Wilson says the even keeps growing, “There's a lot more people coming out and there is a lot more interest and a lot more prevention so there is a lot more opportunities to grow.”

Awareness Walk Event Coordinator Robynn Muldoe says, “That we do need to increase the quality that we do need cancer care here in the North and show support for our community members that yes we are here for you.”

All donations from this year’s walk went toward Cops for Cancer which goes to programs such as Camp Good Times which is a camp for kids who have been diagnosed with cancer. Muldoe says it just made sense to come together this year, “Our annual Cancer Awareness Walk is in September of each year so it just came about that Cops for Cancer tour De North was heading through on September 18th so why not join up with them and make it a really big and wonderful event.”

Erin Reynolds, Canadian Cancer Society Community Giving Coordinator says, “Everybody just has to do a little bit to make a big difference, and we see that all over the north region where communities are banding around and for example the riders that do all of the summer long getting ready for our tour and thing that one person can do is going to make for a greater good.”

Cops for Cancer Tour De North will be in Prince Rupert on Thursday.