Gone but not forgotten
"What we are doing right now, we are doing in memory of those people who were close and dear to our hearts," says York Regional Police Retired Staff Sergeant Rodney Sine.
Rodney is a co-founder of the Clubs4Cancer Golf Tournament and fundraiser. Clubs4Cancer is a group of men and women from York Regional Police and Vanbots (a division of Carillion Construction Inc.) who, since 2008, have celebrated the lives of the loved ones they lost to cancer.
Rodney's sister Judy passed away at the age of 49 after a short battle with cancer. She received most of her treatments here at Sunnybrook. Shortly after her passing, Rodney learned that his friend and colleague, Joel Parke of Vanbots - who had worked with Rodney - had lost his wife of 34 years.
"I lost my best friend and wife of almost 34 years," says Joel, who recalls his wife's note promising that "together we can face anything and with your love and support I will fight so hard."
"For me," says Joel, "Clubs4Cancer is an extension of the fight she started."
Adding to these losses was the news that two of Rodney's fellow police officers had also lost their own battles with cancer, long before their time.
"We thought, why don't we do something in memory of these people," recalls Rodney. "Maybe we could make a difference for someone else."
Their fight against cancer continues on Monday, September 12th when the Clubs4Cancer Golf Tournament will run for the fourth year, this time at the Coppinwood Golf Club.
"We've raised over $120,000 in three years," says Rodney. "But it's really been about building a better future for people facing the fight of their lives."
"When we walked around the Odette cancer centre to see the chemotherapy rooms we saw a young girl in her early twenties receiving her chemo," says Rodney.
"When we saw the effects that the treatment was having on her, the reality of her fight against this devastating disease hit home. That moment reinforced the importance of our fundraising."
To learn more, visit the Clubs4Cancer website.
