Students at Bradner Elementary ended the school year with a gift to cancer research.
The school supported the efforts of kindergarten teacher Ravinder Grewal to honour her mother’s memory by holding a coin drive, collecting more than $1,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation.
A local transport company, R Mann Trucking, was inspired by the children’s efforts and matched the donation. In addition, gifts from family, friends and other firms brought the family’s fundraising efforts to more than $25,000.
The funds were presented to the BC Cancer Foundation at the school on Wednesday afternoon.
Grewal’s mother, Hardial Kaur Gill, was diagnosed with late-stage gastric cancer in 2011.
“Despite aggressive chemotherapy treatments, we were only given nine months to care for our mother, something she had spent a lifetime doing for others,” Grewal said.
“She has always been our guiding light and we know Mom would have wanted us to refocus our energy on finding ways to help others.”
Grewal’s son Jashuan, a Grade 7 student at the school, said he wanted to make a difference after the loss of his grandmother.
“If we all give our support, I feel confident in saying that every single penny that we raised will help bring us one step closer to ridding the world of cancer,” he said.
Bradner teachers supported the students’ fundraising efforts by helping to organize the coin drive and initiating a Pie-in-the-Face contest.
Douglas Nelson, president and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation, commended those who supported the cause in helping the agency reach its goal of a “world free from cancer.”
The foundation is the fundraising partner of the BC Cancer Agency and the largest charitable funder of cancer research in this province. Visit bccancerfoundation.com for more information or to make a donation.