You may have been out spending time with your dad or with your kids on Sunday celebrating Father’s Day, but many Montrealers were taking part in a different kind of Father’s Day tradition.
The 11th annual Procure Walk of Courage saw hundreds head to Beaver Lake for a walk raising money to fight prostate cancer.
Since the event started in 2007, it has raised over $1 million.
This year it raised $340,000.
For many of the participants, it was personal.
“It’s for my father. He died a few years ago. I’m glad to be here and proud to walk five kilometers,” participant Isabelle Vermette told Global News.
Lisa Trevisonno’s father also died of prostate cancer.
It’s the third time she and her brother took part in the walk.
“It’s just to support all the other people who are going through it or who survived it,” she said.
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Many of the walkers had battled with prostate cancer themselves, including event spokesman Winston McQuade.
“Every year on Father’s Day we do this wonderful event. We can talk about it, we can discuss it, or we can just laugh at it which might be the best solution,” McQuade told Global News.
Several prominent Montrealers took part in the walk, including Montreal Impact President Joey Saputo.
“Five kilometers is nothing compared to what a lot of guys have to go through, especially guys that have prostate cancer. So it’s the least that we can do,” Said Saputo.
Some Montreal Impact players and staff also took part, along with many young players from their academy.
So did Olympic gold medalist Charles Hamelin and his brother Vincent.
“We have to stick together and that’s how were gonna fight against and some time find a cure for it,” Charles told Global News.
Mayor Denis Coderre was on hand to address the walkers before the event. He had his own prostate scare earlier this year.
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The participants aimed to break down the stigma and the embarrassment so many men feel about getting checked for prostate cancer.
“The unfortunate part of us as men is we don’t talk about these things and it’s important that we talk about it more,” said Saputo.
Mayor Coderre encouraged a different type of Father’s Day gift.
“Happy Father’s Day, and I think the best gift you can give to your family is to check your prostate,” said Coderre.
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