Former Vancouver Canucks goalie Kirk McLean and wife Genevieve are lending support to Vancouver General Hospital's Greater than Cancer initiative that aims to raise $35 million for cancer research and treatment.
Genevieve is a three-time cancer survivor who credits her survival because of the advancements in cancer research technology and aims to put a face to her story. She recalls their fight against disease dates back to the dawn of their relationship.
Shortly after he hung up the glove and blocker, Kirk's parents passed from cancer six months apart when they were 65 and 67 years old. He met Genevieve after their passing.
香蕉视频直播淲hen you think of losing both of your parents in your late 30s. That's hard for anybody," Genevieve said.
The Vancouver Canucks Ring of Honour member is taking this opportunity to use his wide reach for cancer advocacy.
香蕉视频直播淲hatever I can do to use my platform to, you know, help raise money for this, this cause is massive," Kirk told Black Press Media on Wednesday (Aug. 6), the same day his father would have celebrated his 90th birthday.
The cause is looking to raise $35 million so that patients have the help they need to get back to their, job, school or family. Vancouver General Hospital continues to be the number-one leading cancer treatment centre in the province, which takes on patients from throughout B.C.
Annually, there are 30,000 new cancer diagnoses in B.C. and one-in-two British Columbians are estimated to face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, according to Vancouver General Hospital Foundation.
Donations to the initiative will specifically go to improving AI diagnostics and robotics to increase turn-around time for patients. Expanding on operating rooms and the tools necessary to perform more life-saving surgeries. Supporting scientists in new treatment discoveries with bedside infrastructure that allow new and advanced treatments.
Genevieve shared just how important advancements in technology are in cancer research. Her brother 香蕉视频直播� and donor 香蕉视频直播� would have had to have a back aspiration to donate bone marrow to her for her second bout of cancer. Instead, she received a successful stem cell transplant from her brother, beginning at age 15, that was blood based to treat her cancer the second time around.
香蕉视频直播淭here's also a lot more treatments. There's a lot of options. When, 30 years ago, there wasn't an option you had cancer, it was usually death," Genevieve said.
The couple wants to emphasize why preventative care is so important.
Kirk is not shy about being physically examined if it means it will save his life.
"If you can nip it in the bud early, there香蕉视频直播檚 a really good chance that the survival rate is up there," Kirk said, adding he always pushes to be proactive in preventative health by going to the doctor's and getting checked routinely. He's had two colonoscopies to date.
香蕉视频直播淭alking as a man 香蕉视频直播� the ego kicks in and it's like, oh, everything's OK.香蕉视频直播�
Vancouver General Hospital's pathology unit ran preventative tests on Genevieve's mother, which found something that may pass down to her kids.
"Even my mom going through stuff with ovarian, (Vancouver General Hospital) did a test in pathology to test if there's anything genetic. There wasn't cancer in it, thank goodness, (but) they did find something that can pass to her kids, myself and my brother."
Genevieve and Kirk will continue to support the Greater than Cancer initiative and are reminding the public that they should feel safe knowing Vancouver General Hospital is at the helm of treating cancer and bringing people into remission.
"We have great surgeons. We have great teams that can help here, and it's just making sure that they stay funded," she said.
Through the Greater than Cancer initiative, the Vancouver General Hospital will look to expand its pathology lab, ensuring improved accuracy and increasing speeds can determine certain diseases better and faster, according to the Vancouver General Hospital Foundation.
