Brain Tumour Walk cancelled due to air quality concerns

Disappointment for organizers and participants of the in-person Brain Tumour Walk scheduled for today at the North Bay waterfront.

Local organizing committee member Nicolas Gignac understands the reasoning behind the cancellation.

“With the air quality issues that were abundant earlier in the week, when it came time to make a call as to whether or not we should proceed or in an abundance of caution, cancel it for the well-being of everybody who would be in attendance in mind, the decision was ultimately made to cancel,” explained Gignac.

“Any survivors or people who are actively combating any form of cancer for that matter, that are immunocompromised and want to be there to show their support, it is in their best interests and in the interests of anyone who may be vulnerable to air on the side of caution and cancel the walk.”

Shannon LaHay, Chief Executive Officer of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has this to say on the Foundations’ official website.

“It is with profound disappointment that Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada (BTFC) is announcing the cancellation of the in-person North Bay Brain Tumour Walk on Sunday, June 11. This was not an easy decision for BTFC, as we have been looking forward to this opportunity to connect with the community in-person for the first time since our 2019 walk,” said LaHay.

“The health and safety of our community is our number one priority in making this decision. We have been closely monitoring and assessing the wildfire and air quality in our affected communities.”

The air quality situation was a concern at the time the decision was made.

LaHay went on to say, “Based on the current air quality situation in North Bay, and the projection over the next couple of days, we do not believe that it would be in the best interest of our community to host the event as scheduled.”

The Foundation is now focusing on holding a virtual walk towards the end of June.  

“We are planning a virtual walk for Saturday, June 24. We will be in touch shortly,” LaHay went on to invite the North Bay community to “put on your BTFC gear and your survivor shirts, step out and walk with you family and friends, share your photos on social media and show the brain tumour community that no one walks alone.”

Further details will be released shortly.

Gignac, a local chef invited his colleagues at other restaurants to turn North Bay Grey, by donating the proceeds or a percentage of the proceeds of a menu item throughout the month of May to the walk.

“All the money that is collected is going to go straight to the Brain Tumour Foundation. I know there are other organizers who are reaching out to other restaurants who participated to collect the funds, and we’re just going to make sure everyone gets the recognition they deserve and the proceeds will go where they should,” Gignac explained.

June 8^th is World Brain Tumour Day, raising awareness and education about brain tumours,  while paying tribute to those affected by brain tumours.  

Donations are still being accepted

“They can visit the Brain Tumour Foundation website. They collect donations year round, so it doesn’t have to be only around the Brain Tumour Walk itself, or the month of May which is Brain Tumour awareness month. That may be part of the reason we’re looking at changing the dates for the restaurant component of it,” Gignac explained.