AURORA, ON. — “Truckers truly are the best — they all have hearts of gold,” Kathryn Cartan says over the phone.

Cartan, along with other volunteers, has just wrapped up the 3rd Annual Push for the Tush. It’s a walk for cancer, specifically colon cancer.

You can tell in her voice that she’s grateful for the help and support. You can also tell she’s grateful because she can’t stop talking about all the people that have helped — she wants to mention everyone who helped, donated or walked.

Cartan lost her daughter in-law, Tanya, to colon cancer, leaving behind husband Tom and son Jack.

Tanya was diagnosed in May 2009 and lost her battle in November 2009. She was 28 years-old.

But because of Tanya, there are now people who have been given help and support in their own battle with cancer. In the final months of her life, she created “Tanya’s Tushies,” organizing a walk and raising $30,000, becoming the top fundraiser at an event supporting cancers ‘below the waist.’

After her death, Tanya’s friends and family created the Push for the Tush 5k walk and 10k run in Aurora. Since Tanya began the fundraiser, they have collectively raised over $200,000.

And none of that could have been without the help of people in the trucking industry.

“Darcy Hammond of Muskoka Tranport was so generous to give us the trailer for promoting the walk,” she says, explaining that, with the help of 3M donating a film wrap for the trailer, they were able to advertise the walk. Drivers came in on their off days and drove the trailer around Aurora for “hours and hours,” she says. “I came to check out the trailer and it was parked and the driver was out tying balloons on the tractor and trailer,” she says. “I just loved that.” The trailer was also put in parades in Schomberg, Nobleton, as well as Aurora.

The Tanya’s Tushies Team were sponsored by Rosedale, Karry’s, Al Boughton and Trailcon, Cavalier and the Ledson Family, Sunbury, Trailer Md, Alpine, Gord Box, Trans East Trailers, Peterbilt, Air Canada Cargo, Thermo King, The Toronto Transportation Club, and TransX. The Rears In Gear walking team, with Grant Easton of Kenworth, were also heavily supported by the trucking industry.

“A part of what we do is make the Tanya bracelets and they are sold for $10. This year we had orders for 750 bracelets,” explains Cartan. The proceeds from the bracelets go directly to those with cancer who want or need to stay at home.

All of the proceeds from the walk — that’s 100 percent of the money raised — go to Mount Sinai colon cancer foundation.

“It’s really a tribute to people together,” explains Cartan. “Our walk is a good family event — it’s not just about money.”

This year cancer came again to the Cartan clan. Jenn, Cartan’s other daughter-in-law, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery and battling the cancer prevented her from taking part in Push for the Tush as much as she would like. But it’s still a priority, Cartan explained, and whenever anybody asked Jenn what they could do to help, she pointed them towards the charity.

“It is funny, isn’t it,” Cartan wrote in a follow-up email, “that from something so horrible there is the positive and that is that people really do care and get inspiration. Instead of raging I am fighting back!”

For more on colon cancer, Push for the Tush, and how to donate, click here.