Calgarians ‘Skate the Lake’ for cancer research

For the second year in a row, Calgarians strapped on skates for a game of shinny on Sunday to raise money for brain cancer research.

The Skate the Lake event was held at Lake McKenzie in southeast Calgary.

The annual event also celebrates the life of Jordan Feradi. The eight-year-old lost his own battle against cancer in 2012, after an eight-month fight against diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, an inoperable tumour in the brain stem.

“It’s amazing to see so many people working together for a cause like this… we do this with a vision that kids afflicted with brain cancer in the future will be cured. We do it for them,” John Feradi, Jordan’s dad and chair of the Canadian Children’s Brain Cancer Foundation, said. “That we can raise money for valuable research into beating this disease, while having so much fun as a community, makes this day worthwhile.”

Jordan’s love of hockey was the inspiration for the fundraiser, which sees many of Jordan’s hockey and school friends taking part.

Skate the Lake raises money for children’s brain cancer research through entry fees and by pledges, with skaters of all ages lapping a course around Lake McKenzie as many times as they can.

The event also featured games, contests, music, food and special guests like the Calgary Flames’ mascot, Harvey the Hound. The Okotoks Oilers Junior A Hockey Club also visited the event.