Saskatoon woman walks in memory of husband who died of brain tumour
Jamille McLeod one of 170 people who took part in 2017 walk to support Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
"Show your shirts, guys," says Jamille McLeod to her two young daughters.
The girls turn forward, showing the message they carried with them Sunday morning: "My Daddy is my guardian angel. He watches over my back."
McLeod and her daughters Grace and Bethany were assembled in front of Archibald Arena, preparing to take part in this year's annual walk to raise money for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada — and to walk in memory of the girls' late father Geoff McLeod, who died from a brain tumour in March 2015.
"It was two years of fighting," said Jamille of the period after Geoff's diagnosis. "And it was an amazing fight for him."
The McLeods and their friends called themselves Team Big Red, after Geoff.
"He was 6'4, 260 pounds, a great rugby player, red hair, red goatee," she said.
"Scottish," she added, drawing warm laughs from the friends assembled around her.
"So everybody nicknamed him Big Red."
Walk without husband
The McLeods have taken part in previous walks for the foundation.
But this year's walk — which drew 170 participants who walked downriver on the path along the South Saskatchewan River — was different for Jamille.
Geoff was not walking alongside her.
WATCH: Jamille McLeod on walking in today's <a href="https://twitter.com/BrainTumourFdn">@BrainTumourFdn</a> walk in memory of her late husband Geoff, "Big Red" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yxe?src=hash">#yxe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/saskatoon?src=hash">#saskatoon</a> <a href="https://t.co/4ZXR2R6AhF">pic.twitter.com/4ZXR2R6AhF</a>
—@gq_in_sk"My husband was here the first year that he was diagnosed, so he was part of the survivor photos for first two years," she said.
Support groups helped
The money raised during today's walk will help fund programs and services such as support groups.
Jamille said such groups were a lifeline to her during the time Geoff was fighting his disease.
"There's a lot of friends that I have right now that are fighting brain cancer or have husbands and brothers and sisters and daughter fighting brain cancer and that support group was a godsend to the three of us," she said. "The friends that we made during that time and helped us get through it. We're here for them as well."
By late afternoon the walk had raised $26,300 — $1,300 over its goal, said Susan Peddle, a walk engagement and events associate for the foundation.
"Still money coming in," she said via email.
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