71-year-old Doug is walking and cycling in this year’s event. Both his mother and his wife had cancer care at Southlake – and now it’s his turn. In the summer of 2019, Doug wasn’t feeling well and came to Southlake’s Emergency Department. He knew something was wrong, but he never expected to be rushed into emergency surgery to clear a tumour that was completely blocking his small intestine. Doug is now undergoing chemotherapy at Southlake for a rare and incurable cancer, but he hasn’t let that stop him from living life to the fullest.
Last summer, Doug crossed an incredible milestone by cycling 1000 km – in the midst of a 6 month round of chemotherapy. Though he’s participated in the Run for Southlake since its inception as the Bob Hartwell Challenge, now he’s doing it to give back to the clinical teams that have provided compassionate and expert care to him throughout his mother’s journey with cancer, then his wife, and now his own.
Whether you’re participating because of care you’ve received, or in honour of a loved one, everyone has a story like Doug’s. What’s yours?
Join Doug in the Nature’s Emporium Run for Southlake Virtual Challenge and get ready to go the distance for Southlake. Learn more and register today at runforsouthlake.ca.
