THE GLOVES ARE ON

Gala shines a light on men’s health

Fundraising for Calgary’s Prostate Cancer Centre has come full circle.

How so? It was 20 years ago that Mark Wilson, who was then working at the Westin and is now Hotel Arts Group general manager and vice-president, approached yours truly to host a winemakers dinner with proceeds going to the charity of my choice. Given my family history, supporting the Prostate Cancer Centre was a no-brainer.

The inaugural Bill Brooks Prostate Cancer Benefit was ‘successful’ (we netted just under $10K) and Wilson and I felt the event had legs — so let’s keep it going.

And keep it going we did. For 19 years. The last hurrah took place January 2017 at Hotel Arts. We were extremely gratified and humbled that the event raised $8.8 million since inception. But, like all things, there is a beginning, middle and end. Not necessarily so to Wilson’s way of thinking as he felt raising funds for the Prostate Cancer Centre should continue, but with a new look and feel.

And as fate would have it, the Prostate Cancer Centre was in the planning stages of a muchneeded expansion. The modest addition, just over 2,500 square feet, would not be inexpensive as is unfortunately the case when building a facility governed by AHS regulations.

Calgary radiologist and Prostate Cancer Centre board member Dr. Shelley Spaner took the lead on fundraising by founding the innovative Women for Men’s Health program with the goal of funding not only the new space, but also the centre’s “get checked” program delivered through the Man Van. Free PSA testing used to be the mantra in the Man Van. But now, men’s blood sugar, blood pressure and BMI are checked. Last year, more than 1,500 men were tested in the Man Van.

Now if you’re seeing a perfect fit between Wilson’s goal to launch a new fundraising event and Spaner’s Women for Men’s Health initiative, you would be spot on. And that is how the stars aligned and raising funds for the Prostate Cancer Centre through an innovative event came full circle. The inaugural Women for Men’s Health Gloves- On Gala held Feb. 2 at Hotel Arts was a great success, netting $150,000. Impressive indeed for an inaugural event and you just know it will continue to grow for many years to come.

The event would not have been the success it was were it not for the support of major sponsors: Mayfair Diagnostics; Hotel Arts; Willow Park Wines & Spirits; Delta; Hello Gorgeous; Southern Alberta Institute of Urology; and the Calgary Herald, to name a few. Fabulous live and silent auction items, phenomenal food and libation, a killer band, and the support of myriad guests through ticket purchase and donations added greatly to the gala’s success.

Enjoy this two-page look at just some of the guests who made the event the terrific time it was.

JOHN GAUCHER Pictured with 150,000 reasons to smile at the inaugural Women For Men’s Health Gloves-On Gala held Feb. 2 at Hotel Arts are, from left, Prostate Cancer Centre executive director Pam Heard, Hotel Arts general manager Mark Wilson and gala chair Dr....

BILL BROOKS Looking fabulous at the inaugural Gloves-On Gala for Men’s Health held Feb. 2 at Hotel Arts are, from left, Catherine Hay, Vanessa Fleishman, Krista Nauss, gala chair Dr. Shelley Spaner and Danielle Sutton.

BILL BROOKS Prostate Cancer Centre’s Eva Moreau, centre, is flanked by her daughter Justine Moreau, left, and Joanna Kostanecki at the inaugural Gloves-On Gala held Feb. 2 at Hotel Arts in support of the Men’s Health Program at the Prostate Cancer Centre.

JOHN GAUCHER From left, Jerome’s Janice Adshade, Shannon Leung and Andrew Clelland.

BILL BROOKS From left Kimberley Munro and her husband, Hotel Arts Group partner Dave Munro with Edith Wenzel and her husband Shane Homes’ Cal Wenzel.

JOHN GAUCHER Scott Henuset and Suzanne Henuset.

BILL BROOKS Postmedia advertising sales manager Laura Linnell and her husband Gordon Linnell.

BILL BROOKS Dr. Geoff Gotto and his wife Dr. Sarah Evans at the inaugural Gloves-On Gala for Men’s Health held Feb. 2 at Hotel Arts.