A Brief History

As things often do, the Run, Walk & Roll for Cancer Prevention – now The Cancer Prevention Challenge – started with a conversation. With no funding, but tons of enthusiasm and support from many people the Cancer Prevention Challenge was born.

The Run, Walk & Roll for Cancer Prevention

In 2004, the plan was to partly raise funds to help fund the book being called Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic and then help get a Canadian prevention group (Prevent Cancer Now) off the ground.

From 2004 to 2008, the geographic focus was mainly Ottawa’s great race weekend at the end of May, although we did have events in London and Windsor one year.

Then, with interest for cancer prevention coming from people across Canada we decided to widen the scope. Hence, the transformation in 2009 to The Cancer Prevention Challenge.

The Cancer Prevention Challenge

Under this banner, all the people who want to play euchre, sell cupcakes, attend a dinner theatre night or raise funds for cancer prevention don’t feel either geographically excluded – or compelled to exercise at the same time!

In 2010, we started in snow in late March on BC’s interior slopes, with Diana Daghofer’s inspiring Red Mountain Challenge for Prevent Cancer Now, and moved right along through spring and early summer with a whole series of warmer events, including runs, walks, poker nights, prevention talks, pyramid climbs and delicious dinners, including the movie-inspired menu prepared by WHEN’s Marcia Wallace and Greg Bay. The CAW Durham Region Racers Sexy Laundry escapade at the Class Act Dinner Theatre in Whitby, Ontario was a big hit, plus, there were a whole bunch of CPC fundraisers who very passionately (and successfully) asked for support for cancer prevention, like Megan Venner (who gave up cancer for Lent) and CPC Co-Coordinator Sarah Dobec (who gave up coffee!)

So here we are in 2011, eight years later, still passionate about cancer prevention – and entreating you to join us in this year’s Cancer Prevention Challenge.