Bob Charron knows full well the ravages of cancer.
He has lost a father, brother and friends to prostate cancer and is himself a survivor.
Charron is also the co-chair of the Motorcycle Ride for Dad Okanagan which has raised approximately $930,000 for prostate cancer research and awareness over the past 14 years.
He and several colleagues presented a $100,000 check to the BC Cancer Foundation in Kelowna May 17.
Ride for Dad Okanagan donates $100,000 to BC Cancer Foundation in Kelowna for prostate cancer research and awareness.
乌鸦传媒� Gary Barnes (@GaryBarnes109)
乌鸦传媒淟ast year was our biggest year ever乌鸦传媒nd this is our kick-off, big-time awareness, to this year乌鸦传媒檚 event,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Charron counts himself lucky, as his cancer was discovered early and treated by Dr. Juanita Crook, who was on hand for the presentation.
乌鸦传媒淲e can beat this, but we need everybody乌鸦传媒檚 help,乌鸦传媒� added Charron.
Dr. Crook, professor of radiation oncology at BC Cancer Kelowna and research chair for the brachytherapy program, said the donation is huge.
乌鸦传媒淲hen you have donor support like this it allows you to be more creative, do more research乌鸦传媒nd improve treatment.乌鸦传媒�
Brachytherapy treats from the inside out by putting radiation directly into the cancer, giving a much higher dose without having to travel through the rest of the body, according to Dr. Crook.
BC Cancer Kelowna is the only centre in the province currently providing brachytherapy treatment.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e treated over 400 men with that treatment here in Kelowna,乌鸦传媒� said Pardeep Khrod, executive director of BC Cancer Foundation Interior and North. 乌鸦传媒淭hat was funded by donor dollars and all 400 men have no indication of disease. It乌鸦传媒檚 very successful I would say.乌鸦传媒�
Charron said he believes not enough men are getting checked early, and encouraged them to get tested every one to two years.
乌鸦传媒淐ancer will touch one-in-three Canadians directly or indirectly and the only way we can beat this, and it is beatable, is by being proactive in our health and we乌鸦传媒檙e a small part of that.乌鸦传媒�
The Ride for Dad started in 1999 and has 22 chapters across Canada. The .
READ MORE: 乌鸦传媒業t乌鸦传媒檚 a privilege乌鸦传媒�: Legacy of caring continues at BC Cancer Kelowna
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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