Skate4Cancer was born of love and a dream = .Dream.Love.Cure.[S4C]
At fifteen years old, S4C originator Rob Dyer, found his initial plan to fight in the battle against cancer, rejected by friends and peers. His hope to skateboard across Canada and the United States, raising cancer awareness, visiting schools and hospitals along the way, was laughable to those he brought it to. For a short while he tucked it in the back of his mind.
Two years later, Rob began to re-evaluate his original dream. Finding inspiration in marathoner Terry Fox, and Robs mother, Wendy, who was fighting cancer at the time, he sounded his vision to a new network of friends and received unconditional support. The potential that Rob knew he could fulfill became all the more certain. Rob organized a group of volunteers and fundraising began to support the 8000km trip. Four months prior to the trips start in Los Angeles, Rob lost a dear friend to stomach cancer, his paternal grandmother to stomach cancer, his maternal grandmother to brain cancer, and his mother to brain cancer.
In March 2004, Rob and his team of volunteers met in LA. Their route would take them across the Southern States to Georgia, stopping for several hospital visits. In Arizona, Rob developed a stress fracture in his ankle. The pain was so great that he decided to have it examined; He was told that he could not continue to skate, upon risk of a further complicated injury. Rather than accept this defeating news, Rob opted to continue his skate tour, relying on a newfound determination to overcome such unexpected obstacles.
On the homeward stretch north, along the eastern coastline, Rob was continually challenged by heart-breaking events. At one point, the teams’ car was broken into. The car was damaged, and money and a CD player were stolen. Rob was frequently bumped or hit by passing cars; though uninjured, these experiences played with his already exhausted mind-set. Escalating physical pain in his ankle and a weary perspective made for a harrowing finale to the cross-country skate tour.
True to his original dedication, Rob’s drive to honour those he had lost to cancer generated the energy to complete the route. Physically and emotionally spent, Rob concluded the tour in Newmarket, Ontario, in July of 2004.
In November 2005, Rob organized a concert event at Toronto’s MOD Club Theatre, with headliner Dallas Green of City and Colour. The event marked a renewal for Skate4Cancer; with the first skate under his belt, Rob felt that S4C could expand in new directions, targeting the significance of music within the skateboarding scene. The sold-out event was a major success.
Over the years S4C's involvement in the music scene has grown into annual tour called the Cure is Knowledge. All events are all ages and admission free. Rob’s mission with these events is to educate the youth of today with cancer prevention tools. At Skate4Cancer events we arm kids with the education to detect cancer at the early stages of development and methods of preventing the disease completely. We inform the audience by demonstrating the proper method to use when performing self-examinations. We put a strong emphasis on informing youth about elements in society that lead to cancer and promote elements in society that lead to a healthy lifestyle, which prevents cancer completely.
Currently, Skate4Cancer is completely a 5000km skate across Canada while debuting its interactive website, designed by Justin Broadbent. Skate4Cancer also has some big news to bring you In Jan 09; Skate4Cancer will be announcing the time and destination of their next skate!!
Skate4Cancer will continue so long as the fight against cancer remains unresolved. Rather then ask you to donate your money to fight cancer; our mission is to cure cancer through education that leads to prevention.
Donate your mind. Not your money.
With this blog I would like to invite you to follow S4C and myself on our journey to cure cancer and on the way, to share the knowledge I’ve learned on how to prevent this horrible disease.
blog.skate4cancer.com
We do this out of love.
