Message from Parker Jones
Published Monday, June 6, 2022
Message from Parker Jones
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation is officially bringing back the Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad, Presented by PDR Contracting on Saturday, June 18, 2022. After a long COVID break from the in-person event, it will be great for riders to head back out onto the road together to raise funds for prostate cancer treatment and research.
This event in particular holds a special place in my heart. I rode in this event with my Dad a few years back before I was a Board member. From my experience it was a great way to spend a day with friends and family who also ride motorcycles. Overall the ride is an enjoyable event while also raising money for a good cause.
What makes it extra special this year – besides the fact that we can gather together once again – is that we are now into the 20th annual event.
Back in 2001, prostate cancer was a taboo subject. The Northern Cancer Research Foundation (which later merged with the Health Sciences Foundation) launched a series of campaigns in the 2000s to get men talking about prostate cancer. The first was “Take It Like a Man” in 2001, which “dared” men 50+ to step up to the plate and get a prostate exam through posters and unique floor stickers in grocery stores. Those campaigns evolved into “Prostate Man”, a comic book-like hero, launched in 2007. Prostate Man featured in his own comic book, with “Take It Like a Man” as his catchphrase.
Both campaigns won awards for their ingenuity and effectiveness in raising awareness and saving lives. Most importantly, today men are much more likely to talk to their doctors about symptoms they are having including difficulty urinating, frequent urination at night, and difficulty emptying the bladder completely. That’s crucial because when caught early enough, the survival rate for prostate cancer is almost 100%.
You can register online for the 20th Annual Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad, Presented by PDR Contracting at: https://www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/fordad. An in-person registration barbeque will also be held at CARSTAR Thunder Bay (Half-Way Motors) on Saturday, May 28 from 11am to 3pm.
As many of you know, we created the Tbaytel Cruise for Dad as a temporary replacement during COVID. It was so popular that the Health Sciences Foundation is bringing the Tbaytel Cruise for Dad back, too. As before, riders will have just over a month to visit 10 tourist attractions across the city. Participants will cruise to the locations, take a selfie, and then submit all pictures through email or social media for a chance to win some great prizes. Riders get an additional ballot for every five photos taken. Participants can tour by themselves or with other riders anytime between June 1 and July 4, 2022. Find out more at: https://www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/fordad
I haven’t ridden in a few years, so I unfortunately won’t be out to the events this year. But I’ll be riding with you in spirit. Thank you for helping raise funds and awareness for this important cause.
Parker Jones