Strides for Obesity fundraiser returns to Halifax

After a five-year hiatus, the Strides for Obesity walk returns to Halifax next month. This is a major fundraiser for the Halifax Obesity Network, a program designed to support those challenged with chronic obesity. 

For Tammy McKibbon of Mount Uniacke, the walk is a celebration of survival and renewal. 

“I’m absolutely loving life; I’m living my best life,” she said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that clinic or even the Nova Scotia Health Authority. The entire program has helped me, immensely.” 

McKibbon, who lives with Type 2 diabetes and is battling fatty liver disease, underwent bariatric surgery in September 2023 after years of struggling with obesity and recovering from cancer. She’s walking to honour her journey and the friends she lost along the way. She joined the walking team led by Kara Evers, a nurse practitioner and co-ordinator of Nova Scotia Health’s bariatric surgery program. 

“I joined Kara’s team without her knowing,” McKibbon said with a laugh. “She’s the captain, and I texted her the next morning saying, ‘Hope you don’t mind - I joined your team’. She said it put a smile on her face.” 

“We put so much onus on patients who have this disease,” Evers said in a previous interview about the issue. “There’s no other disease that’s as visible as this and there’s not one that comes with the same blame and shame.” 

Maureen Hirschfeld of Windsor Forks lost 200 pounds after her 2013 surgery. For her, the walk is a tribute to a friend who died unexpectedly and was also a long-term post-operation weight loss surgery patient. 

“I wasn’t going to participate this year,” she said. “But I decided to walk one more time with the organization, in her memory.” 

Hirschfeld, who struggled with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, waited nearly a decade for surgery. She recalls prior to her surgery she would walk a secluded loop at a cemetery near her home, afraid of public harassment. Now, she is off insulin, can walk eight-or-more kilometres a day more easily, and works a job that keeps her on her feet. “I strongly feel without this intervention I wouldn't be alive today.” 

Jenna Crown, a clinical dietitian with the bariatric surgery program, believes the fundraising walk was born out of necessity. 

“This event is about raising the profile of obesity as the chronic disease it is - and bringing people together who need support and advocacy.” 

Crown emphasized surgery is not a quick fix, but rather a powerful tool. “From a medical standpoint, we see increased longevity, reduced medication burden and improved independence. But patients also talk about the little things: traveling on airplanes without a seatbelt extender, getting on the floor to play with grandkids, walking upstairs without getting winded. These moments reflect real quality-of-life improvements.” 

Despite resource challenges, Crown says the program has adapted. “We’ve shifted to a more virtual model and partnered with primary care providers across Nova Scotia. That’s allowed us to reach more patients and reduce wait times. Ten years ago, people waited a decade for surgery. Now, they can start the process much sooner.” 

She added, “We’re a small but mighty team. We’re passionate about fighting for this cause and making sure patients know they’re not alone.” 

The Oct. 4 walk promotes awareness, support and long-term health for those living with obesity. 

To learn more or to register, check out these links: Strides for Obesity | Halifax, Nova Scotia and 2025 — Strides for Obesity 2025 — Race Roster — Registration, Marketing, Fundraising.

Photo of Tammy McKibbon.