Thank You Superheroes!

Thank you to all our participants, volunteers, sponsors and donors  for making Bust a Move 2011 such a huge success. Because of you we are one step closer to creating a world class breast health centre!  You helped raise $741,500 (net)! Thanks to a generous gift of $122,000 from Telus a combined total of $863,500 was raised. That means since the first Bust a Move event over $2 million has been  raised for breast health. You truly are superheroes.

Bust a Move 2011 may be over, but the Bust a Move team is still here to answer all your questions. In fact, we've already started working on Bust a Move 2012. We'll be updating our social media channels regularly throughout the year. Be sure to visit our Flickr site over the next week to see photos from the event. I bet you've been wondering where the photos are :) We'll let you know when they're up, through facebook and Twitter.

On behalf of the QEII and IWK Foundations, thanks again for supporting breast health and making BaM 2011 an unforgettable event. 

Recipe Friday!

Orange Pineapple Dreamsicle

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

¾ cup                   175 ml                  Milk, skim

¾ cup                   175 ml                  Plain yogurt, fat free

½ tsp                     3 ml                     Vanilla extract

½ cup                   125 ml                  Pineapple chunks

2 tbsp                   30 ml                    Compliments frozen orange juice concentrate

Directions:

1.    Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cup):

Calories                     132

Fat                              0 grams

Carbohydrate            24 grams

Fibre                           0 grams

Protein                       9 grams

Sodium                      111 milligrams

Recipe Friday!

Mixed Greens and Fruit Salad

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 tbsp             45 ml              Orange juice

2 tsp                10 ml              Honey

3 tbsp             45 ml              Yogurt, plain, low fat

1 bag              142 g              Compliments spring mix

1 medium                              Apple, unpeeled, cored, sliced

1 small                                   Orange, peeled, segmented

1 cup              250 ml            Red grapes, halved

¼ cup             60 ml              Red onion, chopped

3 tbsp             45 ml              Walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1.    Whisk orange juice, honey and yogurt in a small bowl.

2.    Combine remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl.

3.    Add dressing and toss.

Nutrition Information per Serving (2 cups salad + 1 tbsp dressing):

Calories                     85

Fat                              3 grams

Carbohydrate            15 grams

Fibre                           2 grams

Protein                       2 grams

Sodium                      12 milligrams

From volunteer to participant

Last year Karen Smart walked the floor as a volunteer for Bust a Move. This year, she will be following along as a participant. A few years ago, Karen lost a very dear friend to breast cancer and both her sister and sister-in-law are breast cancer survivors. “I felt so helpless. Bust a Move is my way of doing something,” explains Karen.

Karen sent out a bunch of emails to friends, family and co-workers and 16 donations later, she had reached her minimum fundraising goal of $1000. “I can’t wait to be part of this amazing event again. I even signed up for Zumba classes to help get me ready for the big day,” laughs Karen. 

Recipe Friday!

Orange Glazed Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:

⅓ cup             75 ml              Almonds, slivered, unsalted

2 cups           500 ml             Broccoli

2 tsp                10 ml             Canola oil

1 large                                    Red pepper, sliced

2 tbsp             30 ml              Water

½ cup             125 ml            Orange juice

2 tbsp             30 ml              Hoisin sauce

2 tsp                10 ml              Cornstarch

2 cloves                                 Garlic, minced

1 tsp                5 ml               Gingerroot, minced

½ tsp               2 ml               Cider vinegar

Directions:

1.    Toast almonds in a dry pan until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

2.    Chop broccoli florets into bite sized pieces.  Peel stem and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Set aside.

3.    Heat oil in a skillet and stir fry broccoli stems for 2-3 minutes.  Add broccoli florets and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Add water; cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.

4.    Whisk together orange juice, hoisin sauce, cornstarch, garlic, ginger and vinegar; pour into pan. Cook, stirring, until veggies are glossy and coated, about 1 minute.

5.    Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cup):

Calories                     130

Fat                              6 grams

Carbohydrate            16 grams

Fibre                           3 grams

Protein                       4 grams

Sodium                      148 milligrams

Paper bras and pumping iron

Carrie Bellefountaine can’t wait to slip into her Team Sobeys t-shirt and hit the exercise floor on March 26th. And while most other attendees at Bust a Move 2011 are eager to see how they’ll feel getting through six hours of exercise at the event, Carrie is curious to see how she’ll feel the day after Bust a Move. A returning participant from 2010, Carrie has joined a gym since the last Bust a Move and lost over 34 pounds getting into shape. “The day after Bust a Move last year was a painful one,” Carrie admits with a laugh. “I hurt everywhere, and I said to myself - it’s time to get into shape.” The reward for her commitment to getting in shape has been a promise to herself to buy a new pair of shoes for every ten pounds lost, so Carrie is going into this year’s Bust a Move with three new pairs of shoes and the expectation that her new conditioning will make the day after Bust a Move a little less painful.

Carrie's handmade paper 'bras'.

Breast cancer touched Carrie’s life when her step-mother was struck twice with it. Inspired by her step-mother’s courage in the face of the disease, Carrie joined Team Sobeys and developed her own unique fundraising tool – handmade paper ‘bras’ that customers can purchase at the Tantallon Sobeys where she works. The paper bras were snapped up by customers last year at $2 apiece, and Carrie plans to repeat the successful fundraiser this year. “It’s a lot of work with a pair of scissors,” she says, “but it’s worth it.” The scissors will come in handy, too, when Carrie and her 9-year-old daughter, Lauren, plan to snip their hair and donate it for ‘Locks of Love’ cancer wigs. “I’m trying to show my daughter that if we each give a little something towards a cause, together we can all make a difference.”