Help Whitney raise money

I have never met Sloane in person, but I know she is the strongest little girl I have ever heard of. Sloane is the niece of a friend of mine back in Calgary. In 2023 Sloane was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma.  She was 5 years old at that time.  It rocked me; our own kids were not much older than that at that time and it could have just as easily been one of ours.  I joined Strong Like Sloane Run team that year and ran my first marathon, contributing to the fundraising effort at that time.

In April 2025, Sloane relapsed.  But once again, this brave and beautiful little girl underwent treatment and kicked cancers butt for the second time.  As of today, she has no evidence of disease! Unfortunately for Sloane, after relapsing from neuroblastoma, the chance of survival drops below 10%.  But we remain hopeful! 

Did you know that only seven per cent of all cancer research funding in Canada goes toward Pediatric cancers? Yet it’s the number one cause of death by disease in kids. We can do better for our kids. And our kids kids. 

Watching Sloane's journey over these last years has shown me what true strength and courage look like.  She has faced more challenges in her life than many of us experience in our whole existence, and she's done it all with a smile!  Please go follow her journey on instagram: @stronglikesloane 

True to my last minute style, I've joined the run team again this year, but will only complete a half marathon!  

Here's how your donations will help (from The Strong Like Sloan Main Page)

This year, donations will support the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and its partnership with the University of Calgary to advance precision oncology research for Pediatric cancer.

Why Precision Oncology Matters

Precision oncology is transforming how cancer is treated. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, it uses genetic profiling to understand the unique biology of each tumor — identifying the specific mutations driving the cancer and matching patients with targeted therapies that are often more effective and less toxic than traditional treatments.

Simply put, it’s about:

The right drug

For the right patient

At the right time

This personalized approach gives children and families more information, more options, and more hope, especially when standard treatments have been exhausted.

PROFYLE: Giving Kids Another Chance

One of the key programs we are fundraising for is PROFYLE — PRecision Oncology For Young peopLE.

PROFYLE is a pan-Canadian initiative that gives children, adolescents, and young adults who are out of conventional treatment options another chance to beat their cancer. Through a unique national partnership, PROFYLE ensures that tumors can be molecularly profiled no matter where a child lives in Canada.

Each test costs approximately $14,000 per child, and there is currently a need to test 10–12 children in Alberta every year.

Our goal for 2026 is to fully fund this critical testing — and support additional precision oncology efforts — so that no child is denied access due to cost.

This cause is deeply personal to our family.

When Sloane relapsed in April 2025, she had access to PROFYLE testing to help determine whether her tumor was eligible for clinical trials. That information mattered and it’s information every child deserves when facing the hardest fight of their life.

Programs like PROFYLE don’t just advance research, they provide real-time answers to families when they need them most.

A Legacy of Hope

To put the impact of PROFYLE into perspective:
If Terry Fox were diagnosed today, he would have been eligible for PROFYLE when his cancer returned and spread to his lungs — giving him access to molecular profiling and potential targeted treatment options that didn’t exist in his time.

That’s the power of progress. And that’s why we run.

Run With Us. Fund Hope.

By supporting Strong Like Sloane at the 2026 Calgary Marathon, you are helping:

Fund life-changing precision oncology testing

Advance pediatric cancer research in Alberta and across Canada

Give children and families more options, answers, and hope

Thank you for believing in a future where every child gets the best possible chance.