Fr. Jean-Paul Jolicoeur is not only parish priest at St. Jean de Brebeuf church, he's also a biker.
And if those two images don't go together, then you have the wrong idea about bikers, Jolicoeur said Saturday before the kickoff of the Rally for Dad at the Northern Cancer Centre.
"Bikers are a special group,” he said. “Sometimes, we have a tendency to judge bikers for different reasons. But every one of us has a heart and we care for those around us. That's why we dedicate so much time and so much effort to raise funds for prostate cancer.
"When one of us gets injured or something happens, you're always there. It's a kind of family."
And with that, Jolicoeur led hundreds of bikers in a prayer before they headed out on their 215-kilometre annual trek to raise money to help fight prostate cancer.
The Prostate Cancer Rally for Dad event was launched in 2001 raise awareness and funds for local prostate cancer research. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men, affecting one in six. Since 2001, the Rally for Dad has raised more than $400,000 for local prostate cancer research, including $26,000 in 2017.
Tannys Laughren, who heads the Northern Cancer Centre, honoured Suzanne Gaudreault, who owns five A&W locations in Sudbury and has sponsored the event for years. A&W was officially added to the Garden of Hope, a display at the entrance of the centre that honours one-time donations or long term supporters of the centre.
"They have given back so much," Laughren said, of A&W. "When the patients look at (the Garden of Hope), they know this community has their back."
Gaudreault said she quickly said yes when she was approached to support the Rally for Dad.
"It just seemed such a great fit,” she said. “We have a papa burger, and this is for prostate cancer.
"I've had members of my family use the cancer centre. We're part of this community. This community has supported us for many, many years. We've been doing this for 33 years and it's our way of being able to give back."
Laughren also honoured Nicky MacDonald, longtime former chair of the Rally for Dad committee.
"She is there whenever we call her,” Laughren said. “She is an amazing woman and we wanted to recognize the indomitable Nicky MacDonald.
"Some people go above and beyond. And I can tell you Nicky is one of those people."
MacDonald said it's the work of the whole committee and supporters that has made the event so successful.
"It's not one person,” she said, “it's the entire committee, the staff here at the cancer centre, and mostly, all of you guys that make this such a successful event."
In his remarks, Jolicoeur said many people riding Saturday have lost people to cancer, including prostate cancer.
"So today as we start this run, we bring with us (the memory) our friends and relatives,” he said. “They're always in our heart. As we ride today, let's keep our focus on the road, but also on the people that are so important to us.”
