Father’s Day Walk of Courage raises awareness and money for prostate cancer research

By Cora MacDonald Photojournalist Global News

WATCH ABOVE: Montreal Walk of Courage raises funds for prostate cancer research

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Nearly 800 walkers and 170 cyclists joined forces at Mount Royal on Sunday, raising funds for prostrate cancer research during the 2018 PROCURE Walk of Courage.

The Father’s Day event brought in $370,000.

Louis-Joseph Papineau, who raised over $10,000 this year, said he’s glad to be part of the solution for several reasons.

“I’m going to tell you the truth,” Papineau said. “I have prostate cancer.”

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And he isn’t alone.

According to PROCURE, 12 men in Quebec are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.

Papineau added that despite the diagnosis, he believes he’s one of the lucky ones.

“I’m in the early stages, the very early stages, and being followed by a great urologist,” he said, “and so hopefully I’ll die of something else than prostate cancer.”

Paralympic swimmer Benoit Huot, who biked up Camillien-Houde alongside other participants, said he thinks being checked early is important.

“The reason why I wanted to be involved this year with this cause is because about 10 years ago one of my swimming coaches was diagnosed with early stages of prostate cancer,” Huot said.

Global’s Kim Sullivan — whose father was a urologist — was an honorary president at this year’s walk and told Global News she felt the stars align when she was invited to the event.

“It’s the 12th anniversary of PROCURE, 12 Quebecers being diagnosed every day of prostate cancer, [it’s] the 10th anniversary of my dad’s death and Father’s Day,” Sullivan said.

She — along with Huot and Papineau — stressed the importance of getting checked often.

“Most men are not going into the clinics and they are still not going in to be diagnosed,” she said. “It’s so important to be able to help our fathers and our brothers.”

WATCH BELOW: Benoit Huot joins Global’s Laura Casella to talk about the Walk of Courage