HELP ME RAISE FUNDS FOR MY DAD AND ALL MEN!
From 2020, I've shaved my head in annual epic shavedowns to raise funds for Movember in honour of my dad, a 2-time cancer survivor (prostate and colon). But change is good so time to switch it up and find a new fund-raising idea or two, hopefully with your help! I haven't decided on an event yet so happy to hear your suggestions. In the meantime, please read on and learn why this charity is so near and dear to my heart. Blessings

I don't do this lightly. Here's my father's story and mine.

"I have cancer."

Until 2016, cancer was just a word and hadn’t really touched my family. That soon changed.

My father’s PSA level gradually started rising in 2015. He was put under Active Surveillance where they test the PSA levels every 6 months. Suddenly, his PSA level rose to double digits in late 2016! Next, a couple of the prostate biopsy samples were positive for cancer.

Then comes the ordinary, extraordinary call with my stoic dad who casually throws in "Oh, by the way dear, I have cancer. How are the boys?" Wait, what?! Like so many men, doesn't want you to make a fuss, it's not a big deal, not expressing any of the fear he must be feeling! After getting more details, I decided to become his main support and his assistant, attending visits with him and documenting as much of his journey as I could.

Appointments with urologists, oncologists, radiation therapists and other “ists” swiftly followed. I can't even remember half of them!

By July 2017, he was receiving daily doses of radiation therapy at Sunnybrook for a month. After the course of treatment, it still takes several months before you know if the treatment was successful, if your PSA level has decreased to within the normal range. It was a wait and see game.
Finally, after the PSA test in February 2018, the levels had dropped back to the acceptable range. What a relief for both him and our family! He was officially a prostate cancer survivor.

My dad will be on active surveillance (tri-monthly PSA tests) for the rest of his life, but he's alive, active and well and that's all that matters.

I encourage you to learn about prostate and testicular cancers, learn about suicide prevention and men's mental health. I encourage you to practice what you learn. I encourage you to open up, start the conversations, really connect with each other. I encourage you to campaign or donate funds to my page. And I encourage you to encourage the boys and men in your life to take their mental, emotional and physical health seriously. So they too will be one of the lucky ones – like my dad.

Let's make a difference together.