The Crystal Derby
Sep 23
5 min read
Updated: Sep 28
A Race Towards Better Breast Health
It’s that time of year again. The Crystal Gala is back, and this year the committee is inviting the Fraser Valley to saddle up for Crystal Derby: A Race Towards Better Breast Health, happening October 24th at the Abbotsford Ag Rec Building.
While there will, of course, be plenty of reasons to get dressed up and enjoy a night out, there is an important goal behind this year’s event. The Crystal Gala Foundation is raising funds to acquire a state-of-the-art Breast Cryoablation Unit for Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, the first of its kind in the region.
For patients who are not candidates for surgery, breast cryoablation offers another treatment option through a minimally invasive freezing procedure. The treatment takes approximately one hour and is performed on an outpatient basis. The Foundation hopes to bring this technology to our community and expand the options available to local patients.
Of course, one of the easiest ways to support the initiative is to come to the Gala itself. Gather some friends, find something you feel good wearing, and make a night of it. There will be food, drinks, plenty of people to catch up with, and a silent auction that has become one of the highlights of the evening.
Join us in the fight against breast cancer and consider being a Gala Sponsor Today.
Past silent auctions have raised more than $20,000, and with more than 450 guests attending, they also offer a great opportunity for local businesses to get their products and services in front of the community. Donations are currently being accepted by the Crystal Gala committee.
So, if you've been looking for a reason to get out for a good night with good people, this seems like a pretty solid one.
But while this year's fundraising goal is focused on what comes next, the story of Crystal Gala actually began 26 years ago with a very different kind of need.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
It Started with a Local Group of Women
Twenty-six years ago, breast cancer was not discussed as openly as it is today. Local resources were limited, and patients often had to travel to Vancouver for detection, diagnosis and treatment.
Tammy Preast, Crystal Gala's founding Chair had attended several breast cancer awareness breakfasts and meetings alongside other local businesswomen. What they learned about the state of breast health care inspired them to do something closer to home.
They gathered a dozen enterprising local women, including some breast cancer survivors, and began working out what the Foundation could look like, what it would stand for and, perhaps most importantly, how they would raise the money.
The answer came fairly naturally. They knew how to throw a great party.
They rallied their generous, community-minded friends and colleagues and quickly became known as “the party that raises money for breast cancer.”
It’s a description that still feels fitting 26 years later, although the scale of what that party has accomplished has grown considerably.
From a Party to a Lasting Legacy
From the beginning, the committee focused on raising funds and directing them toward specific needs in the local community and most of their funds have been directed to ARHCC projects.
When Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre opened in 2008, Crystal Gala Foundation pledged $500,000 toward the capital campaign, followed by another $500,000 soon after. Gerri Charles, believes that the first $500,000 likely helped fund some of the earliest screening and diagnostic mammography equipment at the hospital.
Since then, the Foundation has continued to respond to the changing needs of breast health care in the region. Over the past 26 years, it has raised more than $5.8 million toward breast health care in the Fraser Valley, funding equipment and technology at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. Most recently, the Foundation contributed $1 million toward the refurbishment of the hospital's MRI.
However, their impact extends well beyond Abbotsford. In 2017, the Foundation donated $50,000 to Langley Memorial Hospital to support its PACS system, followed by $50,000 worth of equipment for mammography services at Chilliwack General Hospital in 2022.
For Gerri Charles, Chairman, one of the most meaningful parts of that journey has been watching the care available in Abbotsford evolve.
The Breast Health Centre at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre now provides a multidisciplinary, patient-focused approach, giving patients a central point of care for new breast health concerns and coordinating the exams and testing needed to reach a timely diagnosis and develop a plan for treatment and follow-up.
There is also an emphasis on supporting patients through the experience itself, from the initial concern through diagnosis and beyond.
As equipment and technology have advanced, so too have the knowledge and training available to the medical professionals providing that care.
That is ultimately what all those years of fundraising are about: helping make better care possible for people who live here.
“Crystal Gala saved my life.”
Of all the reasons to continue, perhaps none carries more weight than hearing directly from the people the Foundation has helped.
Gerri shared one sentence that has stayed with her:
“Crystal Gala saved my life.”
Sometimes the impact of years of fundraising, organizing, volunteering and giving can be difficult to measure.
Then someone tells you that. And suddenly, the reason becomes very clear.
"Those profound sentiments fuel our purpose and passion."
Looking Ahead
The hope for Crystal Gala isn't simply that the event itself continues. It is that the spirit behind it does.
That when critically important breast health equipment or technology is needed in the region, there will continue to be people willing to notice the need, gather their community and do something about it.
People with the imagination to see what could be possible.
People willing to put in the work to make it happen.
People who understand that a community is not simply a place we live, but something we all have a hand in building.
For us, that is what makes the Crystal Gala story such a fitting addition to our Creatives, Curators & Craftsmen series.
Because creativity isn't always found in a studio. Sometimes it looks like a group of women sitting around a table 26 years ago, asking what their community needs and figuring out how they could help.
And sometimes, the things we build together become part of a legacy that is much bigger than any one person.
Be Part of What Comes Next
Twenty-six years of Crystal Gala have been made possible by people who believed that showing up could make a difference.
This year’s Gala is another opportunity to do just that.
Join the Crystal Gala community for an evening of celebration, connection and generosity, knowing that your support helps continue funding the breast health care our region depends on.
If you're unable to attend the event and/or want to secure your donations prior, the easiest way is to
We created this series to introduce the people we trust and work alongside. The creatives, curators, and craftsmen who help shape our projects behind the scenes. When you work with us, you’re not just hiring a design studio. You’re gaining access to a thoughtful network that adds depth, care, and intention at every stage.
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