Latest news with #CricketToConquerCancer
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre hosts charity cricket match, raises upwards of $1M
More than 400 cricketers and celebrities gathered Saturday in Mississauga at the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer event to raise funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre's research. Canadian artist Jully Black was one of the celebrity ambassadors attending the fundraiser and said the event feels "personal" to her. "Cancer has run through my family," she told CBC Toronto on Saturday. "Unfortunately, I lost my mom seven years ago to pancreatic cancer." The Canadian Cancer Society says that two in five Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. When Black was 27 years old, she found a lump in her right breast. She said doctors at the time told her she was too young for a mammogram. She said her doctor had to advocate for her to do all the tests, but that luckily it was just a false alarm. "Early detection is key," she said. "We need the research, but we also need the education and the early detection." Barbados-born professional cricketer Carlos Brathwaite said the fundraising event brings together two things that are close to his heart: cancer and cricket. Brathwaite said his mother battled cancer in Barbados while he was starting his professional career overseas. "I know how difficult it is for friends, for families who can't be there with loved ones," Brathwaite told CBC Toronto on Saturday. He said he also wants to bring awareness to the importance of cancer research and how that helped his mother beat cancer. "When she told me she had cancer, I thought it was a death sentence. And really and truly, because of the research, that means that cancer is not a death sentence," Brathwaite said. "Although she hasn't been treated here, there's a lot of research that has been done by Princess Margaret and that's been disseminated to many other hospitals and cancer centres around the world." Brathwaite said he flew in from Barbados to be one of the event's celebrity ambassadors, alongside Black. Other celebrity ambassadors included Canadian former professional basketball player Jamaal Magloire and Canadian former professional soccer player Dwayne De Rosario. The top fundraising teams had the opportunity to draft the celebrity players onto their teams through a celebrity draft on Friday. The president and CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation said it feels inspiring to launch an inaugural cricket event for the hospital. "Cricket is Canada's fastest growing sport," Miyo Yamashita told CBC Toronto on Saturday. "It's also a sport that is followed hugely by a growing number of Canadians, particularly the Southeast Asian community and the Caribbean community, and those communities have quite unique cancer needs," she said. Yamashita said Southeast Asian Canadians tend to have higher incidences of certain types of cancers, like oral cancers, esophageal cancers, and head and neck cancers. Caribbean men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer and are more likely to die from it, she said. WATCH | Toronto hospital network to expand cancer care, research in new building: Yamashita said all the proceeds raised from Saturday's event will go to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and will support three areas: cancer early detection, innovative treatments, and comprehensive cancer support, which includes support for caregivers and mental health support. "We think those areas together can really help create a world free from the fear of cancer," she said. She said the goal for the event was to raise $500,000, but as of Saturday evening, it had already passed a million dollars.


CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre hosts charity cricket match, raises upwards of $1M
Social Sharing More than 400 cricketers and celebrities gathered Saturday in Mississauga at the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer event to raise funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre's research. Canadian artist Jully Black was one of the celebrity ambassadors attending the fundraiser and said the event feels "personal" to her. "Cancer has run through my family," she told CBC Toronto on Saturday. "Unfortunately, I lost my mom seven years ago to pancreatic cancer." The Canadian Cancer Society says that two in five Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. When Black was 27 years old, she found a lump in her right breast. She said doctors at the time told her she was too young for a mammogram. She said her doctor had to advocate for her to do all the tests, but that luckily it was just a false alarm. "Early detection is key," she said. "We need the research, but we also need the education and the early detection." Barbados-born professional cricketer Carlos Brathwaite said the fundraising event brings together two things that are close to his heart: cancer and cricket. Brathwaite said his mother battled cancer in Barbados while he was starting his professional career overseas. "I know how difficult it is for friends, for families who can't be there with loved ones," Brathwaite told CBC Toronto on Saturday. He said he also wants to bring awareness to the importance of cancer research and how that helped his mother beat cancer. "When she told me she had cancer, I thought it was a death sentence. And really and truly, because of the research, that means that cancer is not a death sentence," Brathwaite said. "Although she hasn't been treated here, there's a lot of research that has been done by Princess Margaret and that's been disseminated to many other hospitals and cancer centres around the world." Brathwaite said he flew in from Barbados to be one of the event's celebrity ambassadors, alongside Black. Other celebrity ambassadors included Canadian former professional basketball player Jamaal Magloire and Canadian former professional soccer player Dwayne De Rosario. The top fundraising teams had the opportunity to draft the celebrity players onto their teams through a celebrity draft on Friday. The president and CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation said it feels inspiring to launch an inaugural cricket event for the hospital. "Cricket is Canada's fastest growing sport," Miyo Yamashita told CBC Toronto on Saturday. "It's also a sport that is followed hugely by a growing number of Canadians, particularly the Southeast Asian community and the Caribbean community, and those communities have quite unique cancer needs," she said. Yamashita said Southeast Asian Canadians tend to have higher incidences of certain types of cancers, like oral cancers, esophageal cancers, and head and neck cancers. Caribbean men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer and are more likely to die from it, she said. Yamashita said all the proceeds raised from Saturday's event will go to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and will support three areas: cancer early detection, innovative treatments, and comprehensive cancer support, which includes support for caregivers and mental health support. "We think those areas together can really help create a world free from the fear of cancer," she said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Raises Over $1.16 Million at Inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer - Canada's Largest Street Cricket Fundraiser
Hundreds united to support life-saving cancer research and create a world free from the fear of cancer MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - More than 400 cricketers gathered at Celebration Square as The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (The PMCF), presented by TD, hosted the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer — the largest street cricket fundraiser in Canada. This landmark event signalled a major moment in Canada's evolving sports landscape and serves as a powerful symbol of community, culture, and hope. "This event is about rallying a community, celebrating diversity, and changing the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed and treated," said Dr. Miyo Yamashita, President and CEO, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. "We are grateful to all the participants and supporters who took to the pitch today to raise funds that will improve cancer outcomes and provide brighter tomorrows for patients here in Canada and around the globe." This exciting first-of-its-kind fundraising event united cancer survivors, caregivers, athletes, celebrities and supporters of all backgrounds in one shared mission: to create a world free from the fear of cancer. "I felt powerless when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and when my close friend, Kenroy, passed away from this disease," said Carlos Brathwaite, international cricket star. "I'm proud to bring my passion for cricket to Canada to help launch this event and raise funds for cancer research that can help transform cancer care and treatment everywhere– including my home, Barbados." With 2 in 5 Canadians facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, the event was more than just a game—it was a community movement for collective impact. Proceeds will benefit life-saving research at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centres. Top fundraising teams had the unique opportunity to draft celebrity players onto their teams through a celebrity draft including notable ambassadors Jully Black, Jamaal Magloire, Dwayne De Rosario and Carlos Brathwaite. These household names joined local teams on the pitch, highlighting the inclusive and celebratory nature of the event. "As a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, cricket was a source of endless joy in my family," said Jully Black, Canadian singer-songwriter and artist. "This cause is deeply personal. Cancer has touched every corner of my life—my father is a proud survivor, sadly my mother and grandmother passed away from the disease, and at 27 years old, I too, faced my own cancer scare. These experiences left a profound impact on me. I jumped at the opportunity to champion a cause that uplifts, educates, and unites communities to bring hope in the face of a cancer diagnosis." Cricket to Conquer Cancer's event included a full day of family-friendly festivities with cricket matches, live musical performances, food trucks, cultural cuisine, and interactive cricket experiences for all ages. While this year's fundraiser has come to a close, The Princess Margaret encourages new and returning participants to register online for next year's Cricket to Conquer Cancer event at ABOUT PRINCESS MARGARET CANCER FOUNDATION The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is Canada's largest cancer charity. We're dedicated to raising funds for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centres, known for its breakthrough discoveries that transform patient outcomes. Together, our work benefits cancer patients everywhere in our mission to create a world free from the fear of cancer. Through philanthropy, fundraising events, and our world-leading lottery program, we're changing how the world understands, prevents, diagnoses, and treats cancer, benefitting patients at The Princess Margaret, throughout Canada, and around the world. SOURCE Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data