Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about a very important issue that affects thousands of Canadian women across the country. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer found in Canadian women. Over tens of thousands of them are diagnosed and treated every year in the country.
Many of us are touched by this devastating disease. My mother, Lynne Leitch, lost her battle in 1989. I was 18, my siblings 13 and 8. My mom was always there to make sure that we were supported and also on occasion to tell us when we were not so great. My mother is the reason why I support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation so profoundly. As a medical physician, I know the fabulous work it does every day to make sure that women across the country are supported.
This week, in my riding of Simcoe--Grey, and in communities across the country, CBCF is hosting the annual Run for the Cure. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who go out and support this event. They truly are making a difference.
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I stand proud to support the CBCF and ask my colleagues to run for the cure this weekend, to support their neighbours and all those women who suffer from breast cancer every day.