A Walk That Means More Than Miles

Our 6th Annual Canines Against Cancer Support Walk wasn’t just our main fundraiser, it was a celebration of why we began and why we’ll never stop. What started in 2020 from a simple idea shared in a support group has grown into a tradition that reaches survivors from ages 6 to 80, from Western Massachusetts to California and Canada.

Back in January 2020, we were brainstorming how to raise money for after-cancer support so we would never have to charge survivors. We considered golf tournaments, 5Ks, and traditional walks. Then, during one of our support groups, Susan shared how her dogs had been her greatest comfort during treatment. That moment changed everything. Canines Against Cancer was born, with our first walk planned for April 2020. Then the world shut down.

We didn’t give up. That September, masked and socially distanced, we held our very first hybrid walk. And here we are—five years later—still walking, still showing up, still making sure no one faces life after cancer alone.

Now, as Fall rolls in with yellow school buses on the roads, it’s a season of renewal and reflection—a blank canvas ready to be filled with fresh possibilities. Cancer is never truly “behind” you—it lingers in the background, shaping how you live and reminding you what matters. That’s why EMWA exists: to give survivors a place to be heard, understood, and supported through the "realities of life after treatment".

Thank you for walking beside us. Your presence isn’t just support—it’s hope.

With gratitude

Cindy