Bright and early on Sunday, July 24, Dr. Sheila Garland, a number of her students and all of the Team Memorial participants will be at the starting line in Paradise for the 89th annual Tely 10 road race.
While many runners are a repeat sight at the popular event, Dr. Garland, an assistant professor of psychology and oncology, and students Hilary Power, Hannah Lane, Rebecca Collins, Megan Van Wijk, Erin Oreilly, Megan Luther, Amanda Kennedy and Bridgette Green are all Tely 10 newbies.
YACC fundraiser
They are using their first race as a way to help raise funds for Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC), an organization that supports young adults as they move through and beyond the disease.
“My research area is focused largely on improving quality of life and outcomes for people who have been diagnosed with cancer,” said Dr. Garland. “I began working with YACC almost as soon as I started at Memorial last September.
“As part of my work with YACC, I have become more exposed to what they do to connect young adults with cancer across Canada and, and considering I fall into the age range of individuals they would be supporting, it really is a cause that is personally relevant to me.”
Unique issues
Dr. Garland says outcomes for young adults between the ages of 15-39 have not improved in terms of cancer survival, most often because of delayed diagnosis. In addition, those individuals have to deal with unique issues that come from being diagnosed at that particular age.
“It can have quite an impact on people who are just starting to establish their life.”
“It can have quite an impact on people who are just starting to establish their life,” she said. “It’s different from those diagnosed when they are younger or when they are older. When cancer hits when you are 29, you usually don’t have any savings—in fact, you probably have a lot of debt—and you may have a young family to support.”
$5,000 goal
When Dr. Garland put the idea of a Tely 10 YACC fundraiser out to her students, they jumped at the chance to get involved. She says their passion for the cause is helping drive their efforts and they are closing in on their $5,000 goal.
“My sister ran the Tely 10 last year and I thought I would like to run it, too,” said Ms. Power. “So, when Dr. Garland suggested a YACC fundraiser, I thought it would be a great way to get involved in the Tely 10 and support a great cause at the same time.”
Tely Makes Me YACC
While the runners are all at different paces and stages, they’ve created a team T-shirt featuring their slogan “Tely Makes Me YACC” and plan to take a group photo at the finish line.
“For more than 10 years, Memorial has been pleased to have a team participate in the Tely 10.”
They’ll be joined at the race by a large contingent of other Memorial University runners and walkers comprised of faculty, staff, pensioners and their family members.
“For more than 10 years, Memorial has been pleased to have a team participate in the Tely 10,” said Kathleen Wall, Memorial’s employee wellness consultant with the Department of Human Resources. “This year, Team Memorial has 95 runners and walkers registered. Our team members will be easy to identify as they will be wearing Memorial branded T-shirts with “Run the course” written on the back. I encourage people to come out and support Dr. Garland and all of the members of Team Memorial, as they proceed along the course of this historic road race.”
Race route
Participants will start at 8 a.m. on McNamara Road in the Town of Paradise and will proceed eastward on Topsail Road, Cornwall Avenue, LeMarchant Road, Harvey Road and Military Road, and then turn left to finish on Bannerman Road.
To support the Tely Makes Me YACC team, please visit here. For more information on YACC, please visit here.
