This year’s Peterborough Butterfly Run, held on Sunday morning (April 28) at Millennium Park, has raised over $92,000.
Organized by GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation in partnership with the Partners in Pregnancy Clinic with support from sponsors, the annual run raises awareness and funds to support families and individuals who have experienced loss during pregnancy, the loss of a child, or infertility.
Over 1,000 people participated in the event, which included a one-kilometre run fun for kids, a one-kilometre memorial walk, and a five-kilometre chip-timed run/walk. The event also featured a photo booth, ‘butterfly boutique’, a DJ, and a stilt walker in a butterfly costume.
“It was great to feel the fellowship, support, and comradery of the crowd, which is what the event has always been about,” says Vince Bierworth, executive director of GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation, in a media release. “No matter what format the event has taken, there are so many that support its mission. For that we are very grateful.”
The top three fundraising teams were Macks Pack, The White Family, and Team Bene’s Buddies. The top three individual fundraisers were Stephanie Sutton, Rebecca Mcevoy and Cally White.
Funds raised at the annual event have been used across the city and county of Peterborough to provide ongoing specialized education in perinatal bereavement care to health care providers and to establish more than 10 lending libraries for individuals and their families
Funds from the Peterborough Butterfly Run are also used to develop bereavement kits for individuals and families who experience early and later pregnancy loss and infant loss.
Since 2018, more than 800 bereavement kits have been created for health care providers with the Peterborough Family Health Team, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, local physicians, and mental health clinicians. Assembled and distributed by volunteers, the kits contain comfort items, memorabilia, and grief support.
Proceeds from the event also support future Peterborough Butterly Runs.
