Maritimers prepare to mark Mother’s Day

Mom’s special day brings a boom for local charities and businesses.

From raising money for a good cause to enjoying a nice meal out, one thing Maritimers will have in common this Sunday is celebrating mom.

Ovarian cancer fundraiser

This year marks the fifth annual Teal to Heal fundraiser for ovarian cancer in Sydney, N.S.

“I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 33,” said Dena Edwards Wadden, organizer of the annual Teal to Heal fundraising walk and run.

Edwards Wadden was a working mom with a two-year-old daughter – Myka – when she got the diagnosis.

She knows from her own cancer journey - and from the many people she has met at the annual event - that Mother’s Day can mean different things to different people.

“A lot of people who come and recognize that Mothers Day can come with very complex emotions,” said Edwards Wadden.

While the young mother’s idea may have started small, it has grown into something big.

“This year is actually a bit of a milestone too,” said Edwards Wadden. “We are hoping to cross $1 million raised since its inception in 2022.”

The annual Fredericton Marathon – also a Mother’s Day weekend event each year – is expected to welcome several thousand runners, including plenty of moms.

‘The busiest holiday of the year’

Some of the mothers looking to fuel back up after the Teal to Heal event might head out for a meal.

“We opened in December 2025, so it’s our first Mother’s Day overall for the Breton Crafthouse,” said Andrew Morrow, co-owner of the downtown Sydney brewpub.

“I think we’ll be fairly busy and obviously they want to celebrate all the moms out there that work hard all year long.”

At a flower shop in Sydney River, it was all hands on deck ahead of a weekend they say is bigger than Valentine’s Day for their business.

“It’s the busiest holiday of the year,” said Dave MacKillop, owner of MacKillop’s Flowers. “(It brings in) probably 20 per cent, 17 to 20 per cent, of our total revenue for the year.”

“We would just like to wish all the mothers a Happy Mother’s Day and I hope you enjoy the flowers.”