BRIGHT Run welcomes Colleen Ionson as the new co-ordinator of our volunteer committee.
Colleen, a retired Registered Nurse, is a two-time breast cancer warrior and a long-time BRIGHT Run volunteer and participant.
She takes over from Aryn Sousa Moreton, who has co-ordinated the volunteer committee for the past seven years. Aryn remains a vital part of the advertising, marketing, and communications committee with a particular focus on social media.
Colleen retired in 2013 after 35 years in nursing. Her clinical practice was in psychiatry, followed by several years of labour relations with the Ontario Nurses’ Association.
She was first diagnosed with left-side breast cancer in 2009, then again, on the right, in 2019. Her treatment involved surgery followed by radiation.
“My (cancer) journeys were found through routine mammogram screening,” she noted.
In 2009, she participated in a research project that randomized patients for regular daily radiation for a prescribed number of treatments or accelerated radiation for five treatments twice a day. Colleen was in the accelerated group, receiving daily treatments for 18 days.
She participated in BRIGHT for the first time in 2009 and began volunteering in 2010. She has volunteered in many capacities including: festivals, lobby sales, poster distribution, and event-day set up and staffing various tents. When asked to take on the committee position, she agreed immediately!
Colleen says the BRIGHT event is energetic, inspirational and supportive. She loves that BRIGHT is solely run by volunteers and all funds raised by participants stay in Hamilton.
