Tuesday, March 17, 2009

My Goal - nay, My Mission

As many of you know it's been my lifelong goal to find a cure for cancer while simultaneously winning "Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest" (in your face Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi. NOTE: I recognize that Joey "Jaws" Chestnut is the current two time defending champion but Kobayashi won the event six consecutive years and therefore it is him that I'm gunning for.)

Over the years I've come to realize that I probably won't be able to do both and have consequently focused on finding a cure for cancer. Unfortunately, there's only so far common household chemicals, medical equipment scavenged from a broken down Somalian hospital and a fourth grade education can take you, which is why I hedge my bets by participating in the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life each year.

The Relay is a 12 hour overnight event (7pm to 7am) in which teams compete in a variety of physically, mentally and spiritually gruelling challenges in order to eliminate one another from the competition and claim bragging rights for the entire year. Halfway through we break for tea biscuits and a brief sing-a-long.

Okay, I lie, the Relay is a non-competitive fundraiser for cancer research in which the teams stay overnight and walk around a track lit by luminaries in memory of or in honour of cancer victims and survivors. It is both a remembrance of those who have passed away from cancer and a celebration of how far we've come in finding a cure.

The most poignant part of the event, in my mind, is the Survivors' Lap in which over a hundred cancer survivors complete the first lap of the night as their names are called out. The other event participants line the track to applaud and call out encouragement as the survivors pass by. The vast variety of people that comprise the survivor group reminds me of how cancer touches us all and the outflow of support and enthusiasm is inspiring.

The truly good news is that you can join thousands of other people and support this very worthy cause without even leaving the comfort of your own home.

Click on this link (Relay for Life) and then choose the "Support David" button.

Donating is safe and secure. While all amounts are greatly appreciated, a donation of $20.00 or more entitles you to a tax receipt. For a donation of $55.00 I will bring my guitar over and entertain you with a series of Irish sea shanties and dirty limericks. For a donation of $100.00, I won't. Seriously, you don't want to know what I'd do for a donation of $100.00 or more.

I've lost three grandparents and my mother to cancer. If you haven't been affected by cancer in some way you are very lucky indeed.

Thank you.

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