Four local women are joining forces to fight cancer below the waist.

Melanie Lessard, Marilyn Vallieres, Diane Hayes and Suzanne Villeneuve will be running 10 kilometres in the Underwear affair fundraiser in Edmonton on June 20.

The fundraiser is organized to combat cancers below the waist for men and women.

The team is running to support Lessard, who is a cancer survivor. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and is running to find a cure. Her friends rallied around to support her, and are still doing so.

Cancers below the waist aren’t in the news as much as other cancers, Lessard said. 

“It is a type of cancer that doesn’t get a lot of publicity,” Lessard said. “Everyone is touched by cancer.”

The group have been training on town trails and are planning a car wash to help raise money. 

Lessard is also cutting her dark brown hair for the event, and donating it to a wig program for cancer patients. 

The car wash will take place on June 14 at Ecole Derochers, starting at 10 a.m. The team needs to raise $1,200 to compete in the race.