Francine Hollohan is exhausted and the 60-kilometre walk hasn’t started yet.

Hollohan spent the past six months raising $52,300 for Halifax’s first Weekend to End Breast Cancer. She’ll be walking with Betty Lou Hooper in memory of their sister Paula Campbell, who died of colon cancer.

The reason she applied her fundraising efforts to a breast cancer cause is because that’s what her sister would want, she said.

“Paula used to walk every year for Run for the Cure and she always participated in things like this.  She would want to do something that would help the masses,” she said.

Similar events run in cities across Canada, but this is the inaugural year for the Maritimes. The money raised will go towards creating a Breast Health Centre in Halifax.

“The objective is to take existing services in breast cancer and breast health and better co-ordinate them,” said Bill Bean, president of the QE II foundation.

“There are good services that exist, but they need better co-ordination so we can reduce the number a woman comes in for treatment.”

The centre was talked about for about five years, but this is the first fundraiser for it. Bean said since it’s still in the planning stages, they don’t know how much money will be needed.
Halifax may be new to this event, but people here are catching on, he said.

“We have the most corporate sponsors of any Weekend to End Breast Cancer event ever,” he said.