Former boxer tested at mobile clinic, urges ‘everyone’ to do it
Retired boxer Ali Nestor required little convincing to spend three hours Sunday morning at a COVID-19 mobile test clinic in St-michel, among the hardest-hit areas in Montreal.
Nestor has a family member, believed to be his sister, who works in a hospital and has contracted the virus, although he understandably was loath to provide details.
And while Nestor no longer lives in the borough, his combat sports gym and non-profit organization both are located on Crémazie Blvd. E.
“For me, it’s a serious problem. It’s a worldwide problem,” Nestor told the Gazette by telephone. “It’s very important to be there and encourage people to come and take the test. We have to protect everybody in the neighbourhood.
“What they’re doing today, it comes a bit late for me,” he added. “They should have done that two months ago.”
The CIUSSS de l’est-de-l’île-demontréal on Sunday launched its two-day mobile clinic at Collège Reine-marie.
The clinic has a capacity to perform 200 tests daily. Catherine Dion, a media-relations officer for the borough’s health service, said 137 tests were conducted Sunday.
It has another two-day mobile clinic, Tuesday and Wednesday, at Piscine Pierre-lorange, 1870 Davidson St.
It was the CIUSSS that requested Nestor’s presence on Sunday.
“It’s us who asked him to talk about it,” Dion said. “It’s a way to convince people, when they have a popular person and have trust in him, to come to the clinic.”
Nestor requested a test and posted the experience on his Facebook page.
“He encouraged everyone to do the test,” Dion said. “You think (the process) is long, but if you don’t do the test and you’re not careful, (the recovery period) is longer; the confinement.
“He wanted to promote it. We’re lucky and grateful to have him help us do the promotion.”
According to figures released Sunday afternoon by Montreal’s public-health department, 6,726 of Montreal’s 22,028 cases originate in that CIUSSS area, along with 633 of 2,296 deaths. Both rank first. In the borough of Villeray—st-michel—parc-extension, there are 1,549 cases and 99 deaths.
While stressing her rationale was strictly hypothetical, Dion pointed to the low-income households and dense housing that permeate that area, combined with an influx of immigrants who might not use traditional media to inform themselves.
Nestor, 46, compiled a 13-5-2 record as a middleweight boxer between 2006-12. He’s also the founder of Les Princes de la Rue, a non-profit community organization that supports at-risk youth.
Launched in 2001, the organization has been helping marginalized youth stay in school through various martial arts programs. These include a specialized sports concentration program for teens and young adults with academic, social or personal conflicts.
Through Princes’ program L’école de la relève, Nestor and his staff of 20 professionals help those affected develop self-esteem while channelling aggression, anger and frustration. It offers psychosocial, educational and academic support.
“When I was young, I was exactly the same like (some of those) kids today. I had a lot of problems with school,” Nestor said. “I saw exactly the problems they have. It was natural for me to do that.”
Twice now, in an effort to raise funds, Nestor has staged the 12 Rounds of Hope, where artists and politicians step in the ring and box in an exhibition.
Nestor has helped train Prime Minister Justin Trudeau along with former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre.