In 2008, my dad put together a graduate scholarship at the University of Windsor for Breast Cancer research.
Gloria Morgan, who was a close family friend, passed away in July of 2008 of breast cancer. She successfully battled breast cancer in 2001 and was diagnosed with it again in May of 2008. Her husband of 52 years, Carl, was diagnosed with cancer not long after and passed away in November of the same year.
Carl and Gloria’s daughter and son-in-law were really good friends of my dad. In an effort to honour them and raise money for cancer research, he started up the Carl and Gloria Morgan Graduate Scholarship in Breast Cancer Research at the University of Windsor.
Then began the Penny Drive! The teachers of St. Anne French Immersion Elementary rallied together with my dad and Jocelyn (Carl and Gloria’s daughter) and put together the annual penny drive. Students would come to school with small change to donate to the cause with the hope of winning prizes at their assembly at the end of the school year.
In their first 6 years, they raised over $25,000… and continued to raise more after my dad retired.
Even in retirement, raising money for the scholarship was high on his list of priorities. He wanted to keep it going forever.
And here we are.
Running a CrossFit competition to raise money every year to keep this thing going!
I’m very proud of the work that my dad, the teachers and the students put in to raise as much money as they did.
This scholarship is more than breast cancer research.
It’s financial help for someone who will make strides in the world of cancer research.
It’s finding more answers and potentially a cure.
It’s years of planning and organizing.
It’s honouring the lives of 3 really incredible people.
Coach Stephy.
