Alberta Cancer Foundation offers its biggest-ever early bird lottery prize
The 18th annual Alberta Cancer Foundation Cash and Cars Lottery kicked off Wednesday morning, offering the largest early-bird prize in its history.
“We’ve started to think of ways to make this the most exciting lottery ever, so our early-bird prize is the biggest it’s ever been, worth $485,000,” said Sean Capri of the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
The prize package, with a ticket sale deadline of Sept. 14, includes a 30-foot 2018 Coachmen RV, a 4,720-square-foot fully serviced motorhome lot at Sundre River Resort and $50,000 in cash.
Proceeds from the lottery go to support the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton and 16 other Alberta Health Services cancer centres in Alberta.
Last year, the lottery raised $1.1 million for the centres and the foundation invests more than $20 million in Alberta every year, Capri said.
“Every ticket sold directly supports the Cross Cancer Institute — all the research, the prevention and screening and enhanced care that happens there and ultimately makes the experience for the patient better,” he said.
The work of the Cross Cancer Institute through the help of these fundraising initiatives had a significant impact on 22-year-old Rickie-Lee Hildebrand.
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a type of bone cancer — when she was 18, Hildebrand is now almost four years in remission, a student at the University of Alberta working toward her bachelor of education degree, and a self-proclaimed “bionic woman” with a titanium internal prosthetic in her left leg.
In addition to the investments for research initiatives, Hildebrand said the physical items she was able to use because of these donations include blanket warmers, a big tub for bubble baths, and a reclining chair her mom was able to sleep on while staying with her the whole time.
“I am so grateful for just those small details that really added up,” she said. “It just makes the whole bad situation a little bit better and easier to get through.”
The lottery offers 3,012 prizes worth more than $4.2 million in total. These include 10 vehicles, 14 vacations as well as cash and electronics.
The two grand prizes are show home packages — one in Calgary and one in Edmonton.
The Edmonton home built by Kimberley Homes, just south of Ellerslie Road, is a 3,778-squarefoot custom bungalow valued at $1.1 million. The prize includes a 2017 Toyota Corolla IM and $5,000 cash.
The ticket deadline for the main lottery draw is Oct. 5.
Tickets can be purchased by phone, mail or online.