Lights, camera, action

Today I get to be a superstar. Or as close to one as I'll probably ever be.
This afternoon, I'm part of the team videotaping a commercial for The Run for Ovarian Cancer. I've got four lines, which I've memorized, for the public service-type advertisement to inform people about the run and encourage them to sign up. I did the one that aired last year and it played on the local (CTV) television station.

After it started to air, I had people approach me, telling me they saw me on TV. Yay! If it gets the word out about the run or encourages donations, I've done my job.

I'm think I'm also going to provide additional footage and answer a question or two for another video. Even with my steroid-inflated face and thin hair, I have no problem going on camera, talking about my disease and begging for money.

For some reason, some women are afraid to talk about ovarian cancer and their plight with the disease. I will talk to anyone who will listen because we need to spread the word about the symptoms of the silent stalker and encourage funding for research into this often overlooked, yet deadly disease. So I'll film commercials, do interviews, talk at events or do whatever it takes to get the word out there.

The Run for Ovarian Cancer is so important to me because it funds ovarian cancer research right here in London. The money raised directly supports a researcher, whose focus is finding better ways to detect, treat and hopefully, one day, cure this cancer that is often detected late and, as a result, has a 60 per cent five-year mortality rate. My cancer was detected late at stage IIIC, therefore the statistics are stacked against me.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the run, and the goal is to raise $160,000. This amount will bring the event's overall fundraising total to $1 million, which again, directly supports ovarian cancer research.

Team Tina, with our bright yellow t-shirts, will be out in full force again this year. Join our enthusiastic group at this non-competitive run at Springbank Gardens on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 13. Or donate to this worthwhile cause by sponsoring one of our runners. Help us reach our $1 million goal.

And watch for the commercial in the coming weeks. Hopefully, I don't flub too much and the process goes smoothly. Regardless of how many takes we need, we'll get the footage required so we can tell everyone about this very important event.

I'd better go gather up my hairbrush, powder puff and lipstick (on a pig) for my big break. Wish me luck or perhaps that should be, "Break a leg."

Tina