On May 15, something special happened outside the CIBC Breast Assessment Centre at Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre (JHCC). Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation (HHSF) unveiled a bright pink bench with a commemorative plaque in honour of BRIGHT (Breast Cancer Research in Greater Hamilton Today) Run, the beloved community event that has raised more than $6.5 million for local breast cancer research since its founding.
Born from the heart of a community
BRIGHT Run didn’t begin in a boardroom. It began with patients. Breast cancer patients at JHCC told their health care providers they wanted to fund research happening at the very Centre that had cared for them, and they wanted to do it together. That simple but powerful idea lit a spark.
In 2008, a dedicated group of oncologists, surgeons, nurses and therapists – experts in medicine, newcomers to event planning – rose to the challenge. On September 6th of that year, more than 1,000 participants gathered at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area in the rain and raised more than $250,000. The excitement was unmistakable. BRIGHT Run was born.
“BRIGHT Run is all about community – patients, survivors, supporters, volunteers and community partners,” says BRIGHT Run event chair Nancy McMillan. “We come together to provide support, inspiration, hope and to celebrate ‘being.’ What we accomplish together changes lives.”
Now held annually at Christie Lake Conservation Area on the first Saturday after Labour Day, BRIGHT Run is a non-competitive 1 km or 5 km walk or run open to all ages and abilities. The 2025 event welcomed 1,700 participants and 200 volunteers. Every dollar raised goes entirely and directly to local breast cancer research.
To date, 24 research projects have been funded, including two new ones in 2025. BRIGHT Run has also supported the research component of the PYNK Program at JHCC, providing specialized care for breast cancer patients under 40.
“The research funded through this event has a direct impact on the care we’re able to provide to breast cancer patients right here in Hamilton,” says Dr. Chris Hillis, Hamilton Health Sciences’ vice president of oncology and site executive for JHCC.
A milestone worth marking
“When $6.5 million is raised entirely by volunteers, one step at a time, you realize there is nothing a community can’t do when it works together to achieve a shared goal,” says Anissa Hilborn, chief executive officer of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
The pink bench and its plaque now stand as a permanent tribute outside the CIBC Breast Assessment Centre. It’s a daily reminder of the thousands of steps taken and lives changed by this extraordinary community.
BRIGHT futures are built one step at a time. Thank you, BRIGHT Run, for showing just how far those steps can go.