2011 Donor Impact Report - Charity Focus

Giving cancer a kickIt’s not a coincidence that Mike Metcalfe wore the number eight when he hit thesoccer pitch this year – it’s the number of years the Mike Metcalfe 30 Hour SoccerMarathon has partnered with Calgary Health Trust.As an avid soccer player, Mikehad faced many opponents,but in December 2003,Mike learnt that he wouldface his hardest oppositionto date: testicular cancer.For a year, Mike foughtthrough 500 hours ofchemotherapy, a stem celltransplant, an Orchidectomyand a rare and risky procedurecalled Retroperitoneal LymphNode Dissection.In November 2004, he wasdeclared in remission, but forMike, the battle was far fromover as he continues to kickcancer on and off the field.This year’s Mike Metcalfe30 Hour Soccer Marathonraised over $70,000 forCalgary Health Trust topurchase a refrigerationunit for the storage of liverbiopsies. “There is really littleknown about liver cancerin the medical communityworldwide,” said Mike.“Establishment of a liverbiobank will essentially givedoctors the ability to identifypatients most at risk for livercancer and develop newtreatment methods.”The Cancer Research Societyestimated that in the year2011, 1,950 new liver cancerdiagnoses were made inCanada and 810 Canadiansdied from the disease; 79%men and 21% women.The 76 teams and over 1,100people who participated in theMike Metcalfe 30 Hour SoccerMarathon are helping Mikeand Calgary Health Trust put adent in these statistics.Founder Mike Metcalfe with a young recruit (left)and 2011 30 Hour Soccer Challenge finalists (below).Photos: Tremaine Lea, http://tremaine.smugmug.com/Thank you.19