The Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) has expressed its appreciation for the support and fundraising efforts of the insurance industry following the cancellation of the 2023 Relay for Life event in Toronto.

This year’s event was scheduled to take place on June 8 at Stackt Market in Toronto, but was cancelled as the city and surrounding areas were enveloped by smog and smoke from wildfires spreading across northern Ontario and Quebec.

The fundraiser would have marked the WICC’s 15th anniversary as a partner of Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and was expected to draw its largest crowd in years.

Despite the cancellation, WICC raised over $200,000 for Relay For Life through personal pledges and corporate sponsorships.

“The insurance industry is built on empathy, and we have all felt the devastating impacts of extreme weather from coast to coast,” said Amanda Martin, WICC Relay For Life chair and director at Northbridge Insurance Go. “While we were not able to come together in person to support Relay for Life, we are still incredibly proud of all the funds we raised leading up to this year’s event.”

Together with its partners in the P&C space, WICC has raised over $19.2 million nationally in support of cancer research and education since its inception in 1996.

In June, the organization named 20 industry players that joined its three-year national sponsorship program.

The list includes AIG, Chubb, Northbridge Insurance, Crawford & Company, Wawanesa Insurance, Liberty Mutual Canada, NFP Canada, Economical Insurance, Travelers Canada, Trisura, CNA Canada, Echelon Insurance, and Allianz Global Assistance.

The sponsors have contributed over $2.2 million towards cancer research and care initiatives, according to WICC.

What are your thoughts on this story? Feel free to comment below.