By David F. Rooney
Sally Carmichael is a go-getter. In fact, she’s such a go-getter that she’s going to ride 200 kilometres in two days to raise money for the fight against cancer.
A regular participant in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Sally says she decided to “change it up this year” to participate in the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer in Southern Ontario this year. The proceeds of that event are going to Campbell Family Institute at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.
The decision was a relatively easy one to make.
Her father, the late Dr. John Carmichael, was a very prominent oncologist in Kingston and was one of the founders of the Society of Gynaecological Oncology. In 1974 he helped define the then-new sub-specialty of Gynaecologic Oncology, its role within the gynaecological community as well as the training required for gynaecological oncologists. He died of esophageal cancer in 2006.
Sally remembers her father fondly and proudly points to his many accomplishments in medicine and in sports. “A sportsman throughout his life, John was a competitive sailor, avid golfer, mountaineer and skiing enthusiast,” says the obituary that was published in the Kingston Whig-Standard. “Heart surgery in 2000, only strengthened his resolve to climb higher, ski faster and live each day to the fullest. One of his proudest achievements in retirement was becoming a CSIA certified ski instructor and spending winters teaching at the Lake Louise Ski School. He climbed every mountain.”
That sounds a lot like his youngest daughter who will fly east with her bike to undertake the Ride to Conquer Cancer on June 8 and 9. The ride is in two stages — Toronto to Hamilton and then Hamilton to Niagara-on-the-Lake.
These kind of events always contain a fund-raising component and Sally and her daughter, Holly, have a great one lined up: A Neighbourhood Block Sale.
Scheduled for June 1, between 9 am and 2 pm, this block sale on Seventh Street East between Orton and McArthur Avenues “is being organized as a useful and fun event to creatively raise funds for this important cause.”
This monster yard sale is not restricted to residents of the block. Anyone can book a table by phoning Sally at 250-837-5045 or by sending an e-mail to sally@bollah.com.
Sally is 53% of the way towards her goal of raising $2,500. She has a ride page on the Ride to Conquer Cancer website in case her friends and acquaintances would like to help her out. And, of course, everyone in town is invited to browse the tables for unexpected treasures.
Meanwhile, Sally and her family will still be represented at the Relay for Life.
“While I am riding in Ontario from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake Holly will be participating in her 5th Revelstoke Relay for Life, distributing Luminaries and lighting the track in honor of those affected by cancer,” she said.
