UNews - Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

U of L students earn national recognition for fundraising efforts

trevor.kenney — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 16:26:53 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students Anna Kovalchuk and Devynn Helischauer have earned CIBC Education Awards for their fundraising prowess in the annual Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure Post Secondary Challenge.

Each year, CIBC and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) challenge post-secondary students to show their pink spirit, get involved and raise funds for breast cancer research, education and awareness initiatives. In celebration of their hard work and dedication to giving back to their community, the top five regional and 10 national individual fundraisers across Canada receive a CIBC Education Award of $2,500 to help with school expenses.

Kovalchuk is a fourth-year neuroscience student who has been honoured with a CIBC Education Award for three successive years. She raised the second highest dollar amount of the national winners, totaling $4,410. Helischauer, a mathematics and kinesiology student who last year led all Alberta students in fundraising, brought in $3,536 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

"It is my intent to pursue a career in medicine and medical research, and it is crucially important to strengthen research and community funding," says Kovalchuk on her motivation as a fundraiser. "Research funding stems from donations and fundraisers that are organized by foundations such as CBCF. I have been involved in cancer research since my first year at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Some of the research projects that I have been involved in were supported by Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation grants. Participating in a run like this and raising funds for the CBCF is my way to give back to the foundation."

This year, Post Secondary Challenge participants from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and MacEwan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ won nine of the 15 awards given to students across Canada. They helped to collectively raise almost $500,000 for the cause.

"I would like to congratulate the 2013 CIBC Education Award recipients, and all students participating in the Post Secondary Challenge across Canada, for your fundraising efforts and dedication to finding a cure for breast cancer," says Mark Galbraith, Region Head, Alberta, CIBC. "You inspire hope that the legacy of the CIBC Run for the Cure will continue through the compassion, determination and strong leadership of future generations."

To view full results of the 2013 Post Secondary Challenge, visit www.runforthecure.com/psc.

Horns women's soccer team plays host to UNBC

trevor.kenney — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 18:02:56 +0000

After earning their first point of the Canada West season last weekend, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s soccer team (0-3-1) remains at home this weekend for one game, hosting the UNBC Timberwolves Saturday afternoon.

Kick-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. at the U of L Community Sports Stadium. The game also marks the ‘Horns' Pink the Pitch program in support of breast cancer fundraising, with donations from a variety of activities going to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Coming off three consecutive losses, the Pronghorns earned a single point last Sunday with a scoreless draw against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons.

Through the first four games of the season, the ‘Horns have struggled to find the back of the net. Despite being fourth in the conference in shot attempts, U of L strikers have only scored one goal. Defensively, the ‘Horns have been solid thus far, allowing only six goals against.

In only their second season in Canada West play, the UNBC Timberwolves have opened the season with four consecutive losses, including last weekend’s defeats to the Alberta Pandas and Mount Royal Cougars. Through four games, the Timberwolves have scored just two goals, while surrendering 10.

Saturday’s game will be the first ever visit for the Timberwolves to Lethbridge. In their inaugural season, the Timberwolves held the ‘Horns to a 2-2 draw in Prince George.

After Saturday's match, the U of L will not host a home game until the October 12-13 weekend, which marks the club's final home games of the 2013 season.

Searching for genetic connections

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:03:05 +0000

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, a biological sciences researcher at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, has received a significant award from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Prairies/NWT Region Research Grant program to study how something as simple as sleep disruption could make cells vulnerable to cancer.

"The disruption of circadian rhythms (a sleep-wake cycle) due to shift work or exposure to light at night has recently been suggested as a breast carcinogen, as elevated rates of breast cancer have been reported in groups of shift workers in countries all over the world, including Canada," says Kovalchuk.

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk is one of the country's leading epigenetic researchers.

Circadian rhythms are the equivalent of a person's internal clock, and help govern such things as sleep patterns, alertness and other factors. Circadian rhythms are found in most living things, from bacteria to plants and animals.

They follow a set pattern that, if shifted around, cause a number of biological processes to change, and not always for the better – as any sleep-deprived new parent or shift worker adjusting to a new schedule can attest.

To tease out the minute changes in the genetic markers that make up the road map to solving this challenge, Kovalchuk will employ epigenetics – the study of how an individual gene can go wrong or not work properly over a person's lifetime.

"The precise mechanisms of breast cancer induced by circadian rhythm disruption are elusive," says Kovalchuk, a professor and Board of Governors' Research Chair, CIHR Chair in Gender and Health. "In recent years, the role of epigenetic changes as a cause of breast cancer has been increasingly recognized, so we are going to attack this challenge from that perspective."

Epigenetics is the study of how individual genes and components of individual genes can change in response to environmental conditions or other factors.

In addition to the hard-wired traits in DNA, epigenetic changes can occur in response to a change in lifestyle or other trigger, and can be passed from one generation to another.

With colleague and neuroscientist Dr. Robert Macdonald at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Kovalchuk and their respective lab teams will develop a model to test how changes in genetic structure are brought about by sleep or circadian disruption. They will also look at how those epigenetic changes affect cells, which in turn would make them a target for cancer.

The group will study mammary glands and look at the genetic switches that are turned on or off in response to the circadian pattern changes.

Kovalchuk will receive $125,000 per year for three years. Her award is part of a 19-project, $6.8 million announcement made in early November by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Prairies/NWT Region. The CBCF supports research projects that demonstrate high degrees of innovation or novelty in breast cancer research.

YWCA Lethbridge and District Announces 2011 Women of Distinction

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:07:28 +0000

The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards recognize outstanding women who live and work in Southern Alberta.

This year six women have been selected through a competitive process, and the honorees are chosen from a group of nominations.

Among the recipients this year are several with connections to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony showcases the talent and leadership of women in Southern Alberta. Women honoured have been trail blazers, entrepreneurs, innovators, social advocates, and volunteers.

The 2011 Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony will take place Friday, March 18 starting at 5 p.m. at the Lethbridge Lodge.

The guest speaker is Crystal Flaman, a social entrepreneur, multiple Ironman Triathlete competitor & 100km Ultra-Marathoner and Author.

Please call 403-329-0088 or stop by the YWCA for your tickets ($75 with a $50 tax receipt).

2011 YWCA WOMEN OF DISTINCTION AWARD RECIPIENTS

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk: Community Leader

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, M.D./Ph.D. was born and raised in Ukraine. Living close to Chernobyl inspired her research into the effects of radiation on living organisms.

She is a medical doctor, cancer researcher and professor in Biological Sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Her work is devoted to uncovering the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer development and using new approaches to cancer prevention, diagnostics and treatment.

Dr Kovalchuk has been invited to give lectures on her work in countries around the world and has received over $8,000,000 in funding from both Canada and the U.S. from granting agencies as diverse as Canadian Foundation of Innovation, Alberta Cancer Research Institute, U.S. Department of Energy Low Dose Radiation program, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Cheryl Dick: Community Commitment

Cheryl is the Chief Executive Officer for Economic Development Lethbridge and is highly respected for her strong and tireless commitment to providing exceptional leadership.

Her academic background, corporate experience and core values combine with her leadership in creating a vibrant organization that treats people equitably, achieves goals, celebrates success and serves society.

Cheryl completed her MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2003 and holds an "Accredited Public Relations" designation from the Canadian Public Relations Society.

Among other community service efforts, she has held volunteer leadership positions with the U of L Senate, Faculty of Management Advisory Committee, and Senate Honorary Degree Committee.

Bonny Greenshields: Social Advocate

Bonny is the owner and operator of Round Street Café, as well as, a wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many people and organizations in the Lethbridge community.

Bonny and her husband Malcolm moved to Lethbridge where she taught Special Education at Winston Churchill high school until 2004.

She found teaching extremely rewarding and values the connections she made during this teaching period. However, Bonny's dream was to own a three story building where she would have a coffee shop on the main floor, residences for international students on the second floor and live on the top floor.

When a property that fit her dream became available, she and Malcolm took a major risk, sold their home to buy the Wallace building on 5 Street South and in December of 2004 opened the doors of the Round Street Café.

Darcie James: YWCA Champion

Darcie was born in Medicine Hat, AB and relocated to Lethbridge with her family in 1969. She was honoured as Winston Churchill High School's top female athlete in 1976, earned her Diploma in Law Enforcement from Lethbridge Community College in 1979 and was one of the first two women constables hired by the Lethbridge City Police in 1980.

In 1996, she became the first woman in the agency to be promoted to Sergeant. In 2002, she completed her baccalaureate degree and in 2003, she earned the distinction of being the first woman in law enforcement in Lethbridge to achieve the rank of Staff Sergeant.

In addition to her career achievements, Darcie has left her mark on her community through volunteer service.

Arleen Albiez: Spirit of Women

Arleen was a Returning Officer for the City of Lethbridge (1950 – 1995), the first female Returning Officer (Lethbridge West) for the Province of Alberta (1972 – 1979) and the first female Federal Returning Officer (Lethbridge) in Canada (1979 – present). She is still the Federal Returning Officer for Lethbridge.

In her many years of being a Returning Officer, recruiting and hiring paid employees for elections, she has always ensured that women were given equal opportunities to work the elections, gain valuable experience, training and confidence. Many of these women have gone on to successful careers.

Arleen has also been a leader and volunteer extraordinaire in many other organizations in Lethbridge and District: The United Way (formerly Community Chest), Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Canadian Cancer Society, Head Start Program, Southland Credit Union, the Red Cross, the Order of Royal Purple of Canada, and the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization.

Kelsey Yule: Young Woman of Distinction 2011.

Kelsey is a young woman who has never let a challenge stop her. She grew up in a small agricultural based community, where independence and a 'hard work' ethic were instilled at a young age. Kelsey entered the beauty industry at age 18, and in two years owned and operated her own successful salon.

This business experience developed and sharpened her skills as a stylist and as a leader in the industry. She is the recipient of many awards and recognitions including: 2008 Alberta Salon/Stylist of the Year for Canada, 2008 Redken Cover Competition Alberta Finalist, 2007 Alberta/BC Salon Team finalist for Canada, Youth Initiative Award Winner and the L'Oreal Professional Runway Finalist.

By thinking outside the box, Kelsey offered cosmetology courses to high school students in remote rural areas of Southern Alberta via video conferencing. Her latest business venture is Purely Inspired Academy of Beauty, a high end school and salon in Lethbridge.

Additional information about the 2011 Women if distinction is available on their website:
http://www.ywcalethbridge.org/whats-new

Celebrating a memorable season

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:11:38 +0000

They sold out a gym in 12 minutes. Their act played throughout western Canada for six months and concluded with a command performance in Halifax, N.S. before disbanding. Now, 10 years later, they'll be back on centre stage at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

No, it's not a rock band reunion, although they did play a tune on almost everybody they met that season. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns 1999-2000 basketball team will be honoured at the final Horns regular season basketball games this season, Feb. 13, when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos come to town.

It's a huge game for the current edition of the Pronghorns as they need a win to grab the final Canada West post-season berth and look to finish the regular season at 10-10 in the year. If they hit double digits in the win column, they'll be the first Horns team to reach that mark since the magical 1999-2000 season.

The night will also feature a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation that will see the women's basketball team raise money through the 50-50 draw as well as pink t-shirt sales and the buzzer beater halftime competition.

Game times on Saturday night are 6 p.m. for the women and 8 p.m. for the men.

The 1999-2000 Horns advanced to the national semifinal game before losing a heartbreaking 80-75 decision to St. Francis Xavier. Head coach Dave Crook was prophetic in his post-game analysis.

"Right now it's very difficult to swallow, but in 10 years they're going to look back on all the positives," said Crook at the time. "We didn't win in the end, but it doesn't take anything away from them as people. I'm just so proud of the way they represented me, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the community."

Now, 10 years later, we can all celebrate their accomplishments.

Curiosity drives young epigenetics scholar

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:55:43 +0000

At a time when most kids were glued to TV shows about talking purple dinosaurs, Kristy Kutanzi was exploring the inner workings of the world around her.

"I have always had a curious mind," she explains. "As a child, I loved to experiment. My parents bought me a book with basic science experiments and explanations for general phenomena – a book that I read from front to back countless times."

Kristy Kutanzi is making a difference with her research focus.

They also bought her a microscope to indulge her fascination with "things too small to be seen by the human eye," says the Grassy Lake, Alta., native.

But it wasn't until she began her undergraduate degree at the U of L and had an opportunity to work in the lab of Dr. Olga Kovalchuk for her honours program, that Kutanzi realized her sights were set on becoming a scientist.

"The practical training that I received in labs during my undergrad was a turning point for me," says Kutanzi. "Dr. Kovalchuk fostered my interest in science and encouraged me to pursue a higher level of education in the field. Undoubtedly, she has provided and continues to provide me with invaluable tools and advice to succeed in my research career."

These days, Kutanzi is well on her way to realizing her ambitions. She's now in the MSc/PhD transfer program, which allows students with research potential to enter the PhD program without defending their master's thesis. She continues to work with Kovalchuk on a project to unravel the epigenetic changes that precede the development of cancer.

While traditionally researchers have studied the genetic influences of cancer, Kutanzi is working to understand the epigenetic factors that "turn on" cancer genes. Through funding from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (Prairies-NWT chapter) and the Alberta Cancer Research Institute, Kutanzi is looking at how estrogen may trigger genes that cause breast cancer, the leading cause of death for women 30 to 55 years of age.

Kutanzi's work on the topic has not gone unnoticed and her amazing aptitude for science has earned her high praise. In addition to being an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research scholar, Kutanzi recently earned a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, valued at $50,000 per year for up to three years.

The Vanier program, launched by the Government of Canada in 2008, aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies.

The prestigious award is a big boost for Kutanzi's burgeoning career. Not only does the funding allow her to focus on the research, but it allows her to present her results at international scientific conferences. There, she'll develop research collaborations and investigate current and future prospects in her field.

But perhaps most importantly, the award brings recognition to a dangerous disease.

"Receiving the Vanier reflects the merit of my field of research," Kutanzi explains graciously. "It brings national attention to the value of researching breast cancer development, particularly during the early stages when there's a greater chance for us to discover a successful treatment."

UNews - Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

U of L students earn national recognition for fundraising efforts

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