October is National Bullying Prevention Month. "This is a good time to be aware that, despite its expansion into cyberspace, bullying in the classroom has not gone away. It still happens, and administrators and teachers still ignore it, whenever it's possible. And usually, it only becomes impossible when it's too late. Bullying destroys lives." So says Stacey J. Miller who experienced bullying when she was in middle school. It never goes away for her -- partly, because bullying, and its consequences, are in the news every day.
"Those of us who were bullied at school and have never fully recovered from that trauma may feel as powerless as we did when we were kids, and -- even decades later -- we may still be living with the fear and stress that bullying in the classroom brought us," she says. "Telling ourselves that bullying is no big deal and it happens to nearly everyone doesn't mean the trauma will just evaporate if we do nothing. In fact, if we ignore the pain that we experienced from childhood bullying, the consequences can become even more serious."
National Bullying Prevention Month suggests that we can prevent bullying in the classroom, and someday, maybe we can prevent all children from being targeted by bullies. But, as Susan P. Limber, Dan Olweus Professor of Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University told the "Today Show," there is no instant fix.
Bullying is here, and we have to deal with it. The pain of childhood bullying doesn't simply evaporate because we mature and, eventually, leave school behind us. Bullying stays with us until we find a way to heal.
The good news is that there is a 4-part program to help adults recover get beyond the pain of bullying at school. "I developed the healing strategies myself after living, for decades, with the aftermath of the residual trauma associated with the bullying I experienced. It involves telling your story, planning to be found by people from your past, putting the former bullies into perspective, and connecting with former bullies to gain closure and peace," Miller shares.
Her book is called, "Getting Past Childhood Bullying: How Adults Can Recover From Trauma That Began at School." Please let me know if you'd like to receive evaluation copy. Stacey Miller is also available for interviews. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Book:
Getting Past Childhood Bullying: How Adults Can Recover From Trauma That Began at School
Don’t Sacrifice Your Workout Routine: How to Stay Safe When Running Alone
You might love going for your daily run, but you could be worried about your safety when you head out on your own. You shouldn’t sacrifice your daily workout routine just because of safety purposes, of course. Instead, follow these tips to keep yourself safe.
Pick a Safe Place
First, make sure that you pick a safe place to run. Of course, bad things can happen anywhere. If you choose a place that is well-lit and well-populated, though, you can feel a lot safer.
Carry a Weapon
It’s not a bad idea to bring along a weapon on your runs so that you can protect yourself. Women’s concealed carry leggingsmake it possible for you to conceal a weapon, for example. Even a can of pepper spray can serve as a good weapon to protect yourself in a bad situation. Just make sure that you’re aware of the laws in your area about carrying a weapon so that you can protect yourself but still avoid getting into any legal trouble.
Keep an Eye on Your Surroundings
Although you might like to zone out when you’re running, it’s important to keep an eye on your surroundings. If you ever feel frightened or uncomfortable for any reason, don’t be afraid to duck into a business, head for a more populated area or call for help.
Bring Your Phone
Make sure you bring your phone with you when you go on a run. Keep it close by so you can grab it and call for help if you need to. As an added bonus, you can use many smartphones to listen to music and track your progress while you’re running, which can make your workout that much more fun and effective.
Let Someone Know Where You’re Going
It’s not a bad idea to let a roommate, friend or family member know where you are going to be running and approximately how long you will be gone. Then, if your loved one does not hear from you in a reasonable amount of time, he or she can take action by going to look for you or calling for help.You should definitely be focused on your personal safety, but this does not mean that you should sacrifice your workout routine. Instead, keep the tips above in mind so that you can enjoy running while still feeling comfortable
Filter cigarettes still on the rise globally despite 57% of smokers wanting to quit, says GlobalData
Health concerns related to conventional tobacco products combined with campaigns such as the NHS’s Stoptober encouraging people to quit smoking, have led to around *57% of smokers having the desire to give up smoking. Consumers that feel they cannot stop completely are instead turning to cigarette alternatives that have reduced risk and contain fewer common toxins such as tar. However, despite the efforts and changing trends, the filter cigarette market is still expected to grow between 2018 and 2023, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Cigarettes account for a large majority of spending in the tobacco industry. Overall tobacco products represented $707bn in global spending in 2018 and cigarettes were the largest category, having generated $654bn. China is the largest cigarette market by volume, almost eight times larger than Indonesia, which ranks second. Filter cigarettes are the only segment that is expected to grow between 2018 and 2023 by volume, while all other segments are expected to decline - with chewing tobacco expected to see the largest fall at 5.4%.
Tobacco users are more drawn to natural ingredients than current e-cigarette users. Therefore, smoking alternatives looking to convert tobacco smokers should employ natural ingredients and avoid harmful chemicals.
Mitsue Konishi, Senior Innovation Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “One important reason for smoking cited by traditional cigarette users is relaxation. Novel ingredients that provide a relaxing or refreshing feeling will be important to explore. In this vein, cannabidiol (CBD) has been widely used in recent innovations in the US and Europe. Cigarette alternatives can also capitalize on this new ingredient.”
Globally, the majority of smokers (*a57%) are more concerned about quality than cost when considering tobacco and smoking alternatives, and are willing to pay more for better-quality products. It will be a challenge for many brands and manufacturers to communicate product quality, particularly for cigarettes, as many markets have some restrictions on packaging.
Konishi adds: “Taste and other sensory attributes cannot be compromised. Latin America is quality-driven, while North America is price-sensitive. Premiumization can be effective in the former market, but the price point of new innovations in tobacco and smoking alternatives must be carefully considered in the latter.
“Heat-not-burn (HNB) has been hugely popular in the East, particularly in Japan, and there is now an interesting migration of HNB markets in the West. Manufacturers of HNB state that the toxins are lower risk than conventional cigarettes, meaning HNB can be a potential product for smokers seeking an alternative to tobacco. However, there is a legal challenge for manufacturers to not attract consumers that cannot legally smoke.”
* GlobalData 2015 Q1 Global Consumer Survey *a GlobalData 2018 Q4 Global Consumer Survey
OCTOBER IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE & DEPRESSION AWARENESS MONTH:
"How I Conquered My Depression & Addiction & You Can Too."
AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF BEATING DEPRESSION, DRUGS, & THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL “They thought I was a jock who just loved to party...but I was doing it to numb my severe depression...” ...says Ethan Fisher reflecting on his teenage years. From the outside looking in, Ethan Fisher had the world at his feet. A popular high school student-athlete, he was the captain of his basketball team and a fun-loving friend who loved to party. But years of untreated depression, peer-pressured substance abuse, and negative self-talk enveloped his impressionable mind and led him down a destructive and tragic path. Sadly, this is something all too common. According to the CDC, approximately 1.9 million children have diagnosed depression and by 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.Growing up in a family that did not speak openly about mental health, Ethan spent his teenage years secretly battling clinical depression while he publicly received accolades for his uncommon talent on the basketball court. He began to self-medicate, leading to a years-long battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. After failing out of several college basketball programs, several attempts with suicide, and one horrific car accident, Ethan found himself in prison with a daunting 3-year sentence. While in prison, surrounded by negativity, he just knew he had to make a change when he got released. "Students of all ages are abusing alcohol, drugs at an alarmingly high rate. In today’s society, peer pressure from social media can lead to depression, suicide and self-medicating abuse with Alcohol and Drugs.Unless something tragic happens, they do not have to face the dire consequences of their decisions. That is where my life and keynote presentation comes into play... "...says Fisher who is now an alcohol, drug, and mental health awareness keynote speaker. Sober since 2004, Ethan went on to become the first athlete in Colorado to play college basketball on inmate status and was recognized as an All-Conference and MVP. He graduated summa cum laude, was awarded the entrepreneurship student of the year award and was the recipient of the President's award. Ethan’s experiences became a catalyst for his devotion to inspiring others. "Kids open up to me about their deepest darkest issues because I tell them my own deepest darkest issues." The letters I get from kids fuels me every day to inspire change and encourage kids to speak out about mental health," boasts Fisher. Ethan Fisher is on a mission to prevent students and student-athletes across the country from making poor choices and bad decisions while changing their perspective about alcohol and drugs. IN AN INTERVIEW OR AN ARTICLE, ETHAN CAN DISCUSS:His incredible story of beating depression, drugs, and the downward spiral.Warning signs of mental health issues or addictionWhat to do if you know someone who needs helpWhat people can do today to help the cause and fight depression and substance abuseTechniques for channeling desire into purposeful action.ABOUT ETHAN FISHER:Ethan Fisher is a keynote speaker, author, and mental health advocate who draws from his life experience to challenge, motivate and inspire students and people of all ages. From star high school athlete, to prison inmate, to the recipient of an MBA with honors, Fisher's life is a lesson in accountability, passion, and perseverance. A raw and passionate speaker, Fisher has shared his story in hundreds of cities, motivating and engaging almost 75,000 audience members to take hold of their lives and pursue their dreams. Fisher is also the founder of Life CONsequences,a non-profit to support education and prevention for students and student-athletes. Fisher was featured in the best-seller, The Heart Led Leader (which was #1 Wall Street Journal, #8 New York Times, #1 Amazon Business) newspaper articles, as well as podcasts, radio, and television shows.FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: www.ethan-fisher.com
Campaign launched to improve quality of life for people with severe dementia
TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2019 /CNW/ - A campaign launched today on National Seniors Day and the International Day of Older Persons aims to improve quality of life for people with severe dementia who live in long-term care by sharing best approaches for evaluating and managing pain in these residents.
"Pain is under-assessed and under-treated in long-term care because people with severe dementia have limited ability to communicate what they are feeling," says Dr. Thomas Hadjistavropoulos, who holds a Research Chair in Aging and Health at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan.
Under-recognized pain can have serious consequences. Pain in dementia can lead to agitation and aggression. When these types of behaviours are misattributed to a psychiatric problem, people are often given psychotropic rather than analgesic medications, says Dr. Hadjistavropoulos. Research has shown that psychotropic medications may increase the risk of earlier death in these individuals, he says.
To raise awareness, he created a social media campaign in collaboration with national and provincial organizations as well as older adults, caregivers and health-care professionals. #SeePainMoreClearly includes a video and a website with information and resources, such as a pain checklist for seniors with limited ability to communicate, developed by Dr. Hadjistavropoulos's team.
Dr. Hadjistavropoulos says he took the unorthodox step of launching a grassroots campaign because he wanted to go directly to health professionals, family caregivers, people with dementia and the general public. Typically, he says, it takes many years to disseminate research findings in a way that they become part of widespread practice.
"We want to share evidenced-based practices now to optimize the quality and frequency of pain assessments. Overworked frontline staff want to do the best for their patients but are constrained by limited resources. Moreover, there's a clear need for continuing pain education for staff to make sure everyone is familiar with the newest methods." The website also has links to resources for families and patients.
Filmed with actors in Regina, the video depicts a scene involving health professionals and a long-term care resident living with dementia. It is based on Dr. Hadjistavropoulos's research and work in applied health psychology. The video campaign is supported by AGE-WELL and the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. The Canadian Association on Gerontology and the Chronic Pain Network are partners in the campaign as well.
"By raising awareness, we have a real opportunity to make sure that people with late-stage dementia get the treatment they need, when they need it."
Dr. Hadjistavropoulos points to studies that indicate that people living with severe Alzheimer's are less likely to receive an analgesic medication than older adults in general.
"We aim to address under-recognized pain and, in turn, this will mean improved quality of life for long-term care residents, fewer incidents of agitated behaviour and lower stress levels for hard-working staff and for families."
As part of his work with the AGE-WELL network, Dr. Hadjistavropoulos co-leads a research team that is developing technology-based solutions to improve pain management in long-term care residents who are living with dementia. This includes knowledge mobilization efforts using social media.
About AGE-WELL:
AGE-WELL NCE Inc. is Canada's Technology and Aging Network. The pan-Canadian network brings together researchers, older adults, caregivers, partner organizations and future leaders to accelerate the delivery of technology-based solutions that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians. AGE-WELL researchers are producing technologies, services, policies and practices that improve quality of life for older adults and caregivers, and generate social and economic benefits for Canada. AGE-WELL is funded through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence program. www.agewell-nce.ca.
SOURCE AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE)
There are endless winter health myths that we have heard from well intentioned grandparents and parents. They have become so ingrained in us that we take them as cold hard facts. Many of these myths have no more basis in reality than Santa Claus. Of course, everyone wants to stay as healthy as possible during the frosty months. In order to do so sensibly, we turned to Board Certified NYC internist and gastroenterologist Dr. Niket Sonpal.
Myth: Allergies go away in the winter
Allergies might be the real source behind your stuffy nose and scratchy throat this season. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, one in five people suffer from indoor/outdoor allergies, and the indoor variety can actually be worse in the winter. Dr. Sonpal cautions that, “If your symptoms last longer than 10 days or ease up after taking an antihistamine, it might be time to visit an allergist.”
Myth: I wash my hands all the time with hand sanitizer, so I should be fine.
Hand sanitizer will kill most viruses, but not all. You must make sure you use the right amount of hand sanitizer and let it dry completely. Dr. Sonpal points out that,” Some viruses, like norovirus, which causes vomiting, is not killed by hand sanitizer. Soap and water are best to get rid of all bacteria and viruses, but the hand sanitizer is better than nothing at all.”
Myth: It’s cold out, I don’t need sunscreen.
The sun’s rays are just as strong in the winter months as they are in the other seasons. Snow and ice can reflect even more sunlight, up to twice as much. Grab the SPF 30 and put it on, regardless of the temperature. Don’t forget those sunglasses to keep your eyes safe as well.
I’ll just drink some alcohol to keep myself warm.
Although it may feel like drinking alcohol is making you warmer, it does not. Dr. Sonpal says that, “when you drink, the blood vessels dilate or get bigger, and blood flows to your skin and away from your internal organs. So, it may feel like you are getting warmer, but you are not.”
Myth: The Flu Shot Gives You the Flu
According to a new survey from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and Rite Aide, 44 percent of American women view the flu as a serious threat to their health. Yet nearly half (49 percent) do not intend to get a flu shot this year because they believe the vaccine can give them the flu. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the flu shot for anyone older than 6 months of age. Dr. Sonpal stresses that, “The shot does not contain a live virus, making catching the flu from it impossible.”
Winter weather makes you store fat and gain weight
Our bodies do not go into some kind of winter hibernation mode, stockpiling every ounce of fat to use for the lean times. It seems logical, like a throwback to our days living in caves foraging for food, but in reality, any weight gain comes from our winter habits. Dr. Sonpal points out that, “we tend to exercise less in winter. We eat more hearty meals and comfort foods, including more sugary snacks and desserts (especially around the holidays).”
Myth: You Lose Most Heat Through Your Head
The saying goes “we lose 90 percent of our body heat through our heads.” But a 2006 study found that the head accounts for about 7 percent of the body's surface area, and that heat loss in the region is fairly proportional, according to LiveScience."Your head is another extremity, and it's susceptible to cold, so you should wear a hat, but it doesn't lose any more heat than another part of your body," says Dr. Sonpal.
Myth: Chicken Soup Will Cure Colds
Many cultures teach us to drink warm liquids like tea, hot apple cider, and soups when we’re dealing with colds. It’s true that something like chicken soup may help soothe and ease congestion, but much like vitamin C, hot soup won’t do immediate wonders.
Myth: Being Cold Gives You a Cold
No matter what your grandma might have told you, spending too much time in the cold air doesn’t make you sick. One study found that healthy men who spent several hours in temperatures just above freezing had an increase in healthy, virus-fighting activity in their immune systems. In fact, you’re more likely to get sick indoors, where germs are easily passed.
Myth: Feed a cold, starve a fever
Dr. Sonpal says that, “This is another myth that comes from a time when people didn't understand the science of body chemistry. The thought was that if you had a cold, food would warm you up. Conversely, if you had a high fever, not eating would cool you down. This is just patently bad medical advice. In both cases, good nutrition gives your body the fuel it needs to fight infections and recover from an illness. When you have a fever, your body is burning energy at a rapid rate, and that needs to be replenished. So, by all means feed your cold; but also feed your fever, or any other illness. Even if you have stomach issues, find a way to take in lost fluids and electrolytes.”
About Dr. Niket Sonpal:
Dr. Niket Sonpal is a native of Long Island NY and a graduate of Medical University of Silesia – Hope Medical Institute in Poland. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, he was selected to be the 2013‐2014 Chief Resident at Lenox Hill Hospital–Northshore LIJ Health System. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and Clinical instructor at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn. Dr. Sonpal has completed his Fellowship in gastroenterology & hepatology at Lenox Hill Hospital and will continue his work in the field of medical student and resident test preparation. He now serves as the associate program director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Brookldale University medical center.
He is the co‐author for the best-selling Master the Boards: USMLE Step 2 CK, Master the Boards Step 3, And Master the Boards: Internal Medicine. He is also the Chief Operating Officer for Medquest Test Prep, Director of Medical Education for Picmonic Test Prep, and a recognized expert on medical test prep.
Study: One-third of Americans are sleep deprived
MUNCIE, Indiana – Nearly a third of Americans are getting inadequate sleep -- including police offices, healthcare workers and truck drivers -- and it is getting worse with every passing year, says a new study from Ball State University.
“Short Sleep Duration in Working American Adults,” an analysis of more than 150,000 working adults from 2010 to 2018, found that prevalence of inadequate sleep — 7 hours or less — increased from 30.9% of respondents in 2010 to 35.6% in 2018. The study was posted Monday by the Journal of Community Health.
The study also found that the people who report getting the fewest hours of shut-eye include native born Americans, who are female, have children at home, work for the government, and live in the South.
“Inadequate sleep is associated with mild to severe physical and mental health problems, injury, loss of productivity, and premature mortality,” said Jagdish Khubchandani, lead author and a health science professor at Ball State. “This is a significant finding because the U.S. is currently witnessing high rates of chronic diseases across all ages, and many of these diseases are related to sleep problems.”
The study found that in 2018, professions with the highest levels of poor sleep including those in the police and military (50%), health care support occupations (45%), transport and material moving (41%), and production occupations (41%).
“There is no definitive cause found for these trends in sleep duration in working American population,” Khubchandani said. “We see the workplace is changing as Americans work longer hours, and there is greater access and use of technology and electronic devices, which tend to keep people up at night. Add to this the progressive escalation in workplace stress in the United States, and the rising prevalence of multiple chronic conditions could be related to short sleep duration in working American adults.”
The study also found:
For men, about 30.5% reported getting 7 or less hours of sleep in 2010 and by 2018 about 35.5% reporting inadequate sleep.
Among women, those reported too little sleep grew from 31.2% in 2011 to 35.8% in 2018.
By race and inadequate sleep prevalence, the trend from 2010-2018 was 29.2 to 34.1% for whites, 40.6 to 46.5% for African-Americans, 29.5 to 35.3% for Asians, and 35.2 to 45.2% for multiracial adults.
From 2010 to 2018, the largest increases in sleep deprivation were reported by men, multiracial individuals, older adults, those living in the western U.S., and widowed, divorced, or separated people.
Khubchandani believes that employers should take steps to make sure their workers are getting enough rest.
“Employers have a major responsibility and should use health promotion strategies to ensure that workers who struggle with sleep problems are assisted,” he said. “We all suffer when our bus and truck drivers, doctors, and nurses are sleep deprived.”
Khubchandani also warns that the use of over-the-counter medications may be making life miserable for millions of Americans.
Many of these medications can have side effects, including worsening of insomnia when inappropriately prescribed or used. Even in primary care, insomnia is frequently misreported, ignored, or the treatment could be suboptimal, despite access to standard treatment interventions, he said.
Khubchandani also suggests that from a public health perspective, chronic sleep problems need management by qualified professionals.
“There is a need for increasing awareness and improving the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders,” he said, “and there needs to be emphasis on public education, training for health professionals, and monitoring.”
Infoway Releases Request for Expression of Interest for PrescribeIT® Standalone Solution
TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2019 /CNW/ - To foster innovation, Canada Health Infoway has issued a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) for a standalone solution to complement the core integrated offering and further expand PrescribeIT® in Canada. Infoway is inviting all interested parties to review the document and participate in the process. The aim of the REOI is to elicit solutions/proposals that will meet our technological, marketing/sales and outreach goals while helping us better understand the capabilities of the broader market.
"We look forward to expanding the PrescribeIT® service by offering a standalone solution to prescribers," said Michael Green, President and CEO of Infoway. "We encourage the health care industry and private sector partners to respond with creative and innovative proposals that will enable more Canadians to benefit from the convenience, efficiency, safety and security of e-prescribing."
Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT®. PrescribeIT® will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice. Visit www.prescribeit.ca.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Visit www.infoway.ca
Media Inquiries: Karen Schmidt Director, Corporate/Internal Communications Canada Health Infoway 416.595.3167
Wacky Jet Stream Brings Both Cold and Heat to the US
How climate change destabilizes the jet stream and creates abnormal conditions
An early season, record-breaking storm brought up to 4 feet of snow to parts of Montana over the weekend, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency. A bend in the jet stream, a signal of climate change, allowed for Arctic air to dip into Montana and created winter-like conditions. The same jet stream (highlighted in the image below) is causing “record-challenging” heat in the East.
Jennifer Francis, Senior Scientist at Woods Hole Research Center explains the image below: “The southward dip in the jet stream just to Montana's west is formed as a rebound to the big northward swing into Northwest Canada that was almost certainly being boosted by the very warm ocean temperatures along the west coast of North America and north of Alaska. Those warm waters near Alaska are connected to the extreme sea-ice loss that occurred there this summer, which allowed a great deal of extra solar energy to be absorbed rather than reflected to space by ice.”
Climate models suggest that early autumn extreme snowfall events in the Northern Great Plains are less likely due to human-caused climate change. This average trend, however, does not rule out extreme weather outbreaks tied to Arctic warming and a destabilized jet stream. These outbreaks of Arctic air can break cold-temperature and snowfall records even as the average temperature increases. Here’s what we know for sure:
Climate change destabilizes the jet stream.This fast-moving, high-altitude river of wind determines weather patterns across much of North America, and is powered by the temperature differential between the frozen Arctic and warmer climate farther south. However, climate change is warming the Arctic much faster than areas farther south. That reduces the temperature difference between the two regions, cutting off the fuel required for the jet stream to maintain its tight, circular path As the Arctic rapidly warms, the jet stream slows and weakens, and favors a more meandering north-south path.
“When you’ve got one kind of extreme in one place, most likely you’re going to find extremes of other types also occurring at the same time because of these bends in the jet streams,” said Francis in a video explaining jet streams with Climate Signals in 2018.
The blizzard in Montana is due to this wavy jet stream pattern, which is also responsible for “record-challenging heat in the East” and “dramatically cooler conditions in the West.” Warmer-than-average temps could break records throughout the Midwest and East Coast this week.
Climate change increases the frequency of extreme storms. Warmer air holds more moisture and causes more intense rain and snow storms. NOAA scientists, examining 120 years of data, found that there were twice as manyextreme regional snowstorms in the US between 1961 and 2010 compared to 1900 to 1960.
800 Riders Raise Over $861,548 at Ride for Cancer
NOTE TO EDITORS: Video, photo, and interview opportunities of Ride for Cancer participants crossing the finish line today between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. at LED Roadway Lighting, 115 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax.
HALIFAX, Sept. 28, 2019 /CNW/ - On Saturday, September 28, a community of over 800 riders, 210 volunteers, sponsors, and supporters came together and raised over $861,548 net for cancer care in this region – and that number is still growing.
Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal is Atlantic Canada's largest one-day fundraising cycling event and is hosted in partnership by the QEII Foundation and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
Since the event began four years ago, Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal has raised more than $2.56 million.
"Funds raised through Ride for Cancer make a tangible impact here at home," says Bill Bean, President and CEO, QEII Foundation. "The community support for this event continues to grow and make a big impact on a disease that touches so many of us."
This year, the ride honoured the late Dr. Stephen Couban, former QEII hematologist. Sue Pleasance, Ride participant and cancer survivor, worked alongside Dr. Couban for many years. Sue took the stage to pay tribute to Dr. Couban during the event's opening ceremonies.
"I want to honour a remarkable man who would be here today if cancer had not taken his life," says Sue. "On January 9, 2019, Stephen advised us of his diagnosis – pancreatic cancer. Two months later, we received the devastating news, he was gone. How could this happen to a man who gave so much of himself to fight against this disease," said Sue to a teary-eyed crowd.
With fond memories of the first time the QEII's hematology team took part in Ride during its inaugural year in 2015, Sue says "Stephen was the first one to cross the finish line that year – he gave it his all and I know he would want us to do the same today."
Riders took to the road or the Rum Runners Trail from Mahone Bay to Halifax – with distance options ranging from 25 kilometres all the way to 160 kilometres. No matter the distance, the goal was the same – supporting Atlantic Canadians battling cancer.
Funds raised from the 2019 Ride for Cancer event will support local cancer care to fund state-of-the art cervical cancer diagnostic and treatment equipment and help fund Atlantic Canada's first surgical robotics system at the QEII, which will treat a range of cancers with a laser focus on prostate cancer. Research to discover new treatments for blood cancer patients and individualized patient and family support programs will also be funded through this year's ride.
Presenting sponsor of Ride for Cancer for the fifth year in a row, BMO Bank of Montreal has played an integral role in the success of the annual cycling event.
