Cross-Canada Rollerblader Raises Hope for Leukemia

Toronto, Canada- On the tenth anniversary of completing a grueling Cross-Canada Rollerblading crusade dedicated to her mother, a leukemia patient, Christine Ichim has organized a day of hope for leukemia patients. A press conference will be held in the Queen’s Park Media Room on October 16th, marking Hope for Leukemia Day.

Ichim’s mother, Florica Ichim, has been fighting leukaemia for the past 19 years, in spite of an initial prognosis of 4-5 years. On May 3rd 1996, a then 18-year-old Ichim embarked on an 8000 kilometer trek in which she in-line skated from Victoria, BC to St. John’s Newfoundland, completing the trek on October 15, 1996, in order to raise funds, awareness and hope for her mother’s disease. Ichim spearheaded this national awareness and fundraising Campaign that received numerous national and international recognitions including Patronage of the Governor General of Canada. Ichim was also chosen as one of Canada’s Top Ten Honorable Canadians in 2000 by Maclean’s Magazine.

To share her mother’s story, Ichim, who is now a PhD student studying the molecular mechanisms of leukemia at the University of Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital, has translated into English a book written by her mother that chronicles her mother’s fight with leukaemia. This book is to be released on October 15th, 2006, will be available on an open-access basis at www.hopeforleukemia.com. The website will also feature a message board where cancer patients will be able to post their stories of survival.

Who: Christine Ichim, Cross-Canada Rollerblader
What: Hope for Leukemia Day
When: 11:00 AM, October 16th 2006
Where: Queen’s Park Media Room

Contact: Christine Ichim 416-489-2938, info@hopeforleukemia.com