ItB次元官网网址檚 amazing how simply buying bell peppers can help so many men.
Outside of their health value, the money collected at Greater Victoria Thrifty Foods stores through the sale of two-pound bags of assorted peppers in June will go a long way toward helping men and their families deal with prostate cancer.
With 50 cents donated from each bag sold, and individual donors chipping in more cash, ThriftyB次元官网网址檚 was able to present $15,726 to support organizations in a happy ceremony Thursday at the Fairfield Road location. Island Prostate Centre will receive nearly $14,000 of the total while the rest goes to Prostate Cancer Foundation BC.
B次元官网网址淓vents like this are really important; itB次元官网网址檚 really the philosophy of community supporting community,B次元官网网址� said Leanne Kopp, the CentreB次元官网网址檚 executive director.
She pointed out that the Centre does not receive any government or health authority funding, so donations like this one are extremely important.
B次元官网网址淭o have Thrifty Foods do an event like this provides us with an opportunity to not only raise a lot of funds for our organization, which really helps support the programs and services we provide, but also helps to raise awareness of this disease that affects so many men,B次元官网网址� Kopp said.
The centre offers nurse support, a twice a week cancer recovery exercise program, twice a month nutrition planning sessions and a monthly support group, all free to users and available without referrals.
B次元官网网址淲e are available to men and their families in any way they could possibly need us, when theyB次元官网网址檙e going through treatment or after,B次元官网网址� Kopp said.
Jim Fuller, general manager of the Fairfield Road ThriftyB次元官网网址檚, sounded thrilled to be able to pass along the companyB次元官网网址檚 donation. He was surrounded by staff members as well as members of a walking group organized through the Prostate Centre as the giant cheque was presented.
B次元官网网址淚t touches pretty well everybody, and the fact that we were able to do this for the whole month of June was awesome,B次元官网网址� Fuller said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e all had people, friends of ours who have gone through this kind of thing.B次元官网网址�
The ThriftyB次元官网网址檚 donation also goes toward Island Prostate CentreB次元官网网址檚 annual Country Grocer MenB次元官网网址檚 Health Day, set for Sept. 9 at Tillicum Centre. It includes free PSA testing for men, which saves people the $35 cost, which is not provincially funded. Even that amount can be a barrier for some men to get tested, Kopp said, so the day is an important one.
B次元官网网址淟ast year we tested close to 500 men and we caught 35 men (in varying stages of prostate cancer).B次元官网网址�
Other medical services are offered on the day, such as blood pressure and blood-glucose testing, and chiropractic sessions. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of like this one-stop shop for men who donB次元官网网址檛 want to go to their family doctor every year,B次元官网网址� Kopp said.
To find out more about the CentreB次元官网网址檚 supports, visit , call 250-388-0214 or stop by their drop-in centre at 100-1900 Richmond Rd.
