In the past 10 years, a simple piece of paper has helped to raise more than $14 million in the fight against cancer.
And once again, Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada are inviting customers to make a donation in support of women’s health through its Tree of Life fundraiser.
Held each fall, the campaign provides customers with the opportunity to purchase and personalize a Tree of Life icon, including a “leaf” for a loonie, a “butterfly” for $5 or a “cardinal” for $50. The icons are prominently displayed on the Tree of Life in all participating stores and 100 per cent of proceeds are donated to local women’s health organizations.
Jennifer Patrick is a supervisor at Shoppers’ The Shops at Polson Park location, and she is happy to announce that once again all funds raised locally will be donated to the McMurtry-Baerg Cancer Centre at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
“It’s a way for Shoppers Drug Mart to promote a healthy community, and 100 per cent of the funds raised will stay in Vernon,” said Patrick, who is organizing the campaign at her store, but added that all three Vernon Shoppers locations will be raising funds for the Cancer Centre.
The campaign runs until Oct. 14, and Patrick hopes the community will once again be generous.
“So many of us have been touched by cancer,” she said. “I’ve lost so many people to the disease, including my dad, my grandfather and an aunt, and I have another aunt who has just survived uterine cancer.
“I’m pretty sure that everyone who walks into the store has been touched by cancer, so it hits pretty close to home.”
Customers are encouraged to purchase one of the icons, on which they can either write their own name or the name of a loved one they wish to remember.
“With the support of our pharmacist-owners and their teams at store-level, our employees and customers, we are confident that we will reach our goal of raising $2.1 million to improve the health of women across Canada.,” said Lisa Gibbs, manager, Community Investment, Shoppers Drug Mart.”
Customers who wish to support this campaign can purchase a Tree of Life icon online at www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/treeoflife or by visiting a local participating Shoppers Drug Mart store between now and Oct. 14.
