'Make sure you give something back to your community,' Dr. Mike Leckie

Just 13 days out from their biggest fundraising event of the year, the staff and volunteers of the Canadian Cancer Society have their collective noses to the grind stone taking care of last minute items to ensure this year's Relay for Life goes without issue.

Recently BayToday took time out to speak with Honorary Chair Anthony Rota and Honorary Survivor Dr. Mike Leckie about their personal battles with cancer and why they stepped up front and centre for this year’s event.

Rota, who expects to run a gamut of emotion during the 12-hour social marathon, says he knows firsthand how important the funds raised from the relay truly are, but at the same time knows that the relay also offers the intangible hope and support for everyone in the battle.

“That's what this is all about people coming together they’re fundraising, getting to know each other … it's a social event, it's an emotional event because you're there you're celebrating life, you're remembering but like I said you're fighting back by raising money to fight cancer.”

He also notes that the fear of cancer returning never really leaves but as time goes on survivors look at the ‘Big C’ with different eyes.

“We had cancer and you've beat it and it's been a while because for the first five years you think ‘Oh geese’ you know every little thing you're wondering … as the years go on you realize okay that cancer’s gone and now it's moving on, but what it does is certainly makes you appreciate life a lot more.”

“When you are going through life and you look at things and you think ‘okay’ you know no matter how bad they get it could be a lot worse and you just fight on,” he says with emotion.



For Dr. Mike Leckie, who has been surrounded by cancer personally and professionally for his adult life, admits that it was the role of cancer patient that was a true learning experience that has forever changed the way he looks at his patients and the way practices medicine.

“My father died of prostate cancer, my mother died of bowel cancer I have a younger brother who has prostate cancer so I knew cancer was all around me … and you go about your day to day business and deal with it but until somebody tells you personally that you have that ‘C’ word, whatever kind of cancer it is, I don't think you really appreciate the mental side of cancer.”

“And that’s what I learned as a physician, again thinking that I knew everything about a patient, not just about their disease what they would feel and stuff when they went home … after my diagnosis and treatment I learned that I know nothing about what happens to a patient when they go home,” he explains.

“I knew nothing about the loneliness of being told you have cancer -- how isolated you feel despite having family and friends around you, it's a very lonely disease.”

The doctor now understands a patient only hears they word cancer when first diagnosed that it is so overwhelming that the patient doesn’t hear all the positive things such as there are treatments or you got it early.

“You just hear the word cancer.”

“And I just really learned as a physician that I think not just the physical part, but I have to learn to give my patients more hope after they have that diagnosis that they're going to be fine by talking to them and saying a couple of days later did you hear what I said beside the word cancer.”

“Most of them say no I didn't hear what you said well I said will treatment good results good prognosis they don't hear those things and either does their family. Their families are just devastated as well,” he says.

“So I learned the fallout from that word cancer when somebody goes home is just a tremendous thing and it's really what I've been trying to work on. Not just as a physician (but) as a friend when I have friends or somebody who are diagnosed with cancer outside of my practice, I've learned that I can say things differently and maybe more meaningfully after what I've been through.”

Leckie says he is a bit embarrassed by the fact that he has never attended the Relay for Life is but by no means uncomfortable to go public with his story. He says it is important to give back to your community and that is why this year he will be on the track to share his story and let people know that the Cancer Society does important work in the community.

“I was flattered and honored to be approached by the Canadian Cancer society to be their honorary survivor because I really felt that I had, as a physician, something to say that might have a little more impact than what I originally thought.”

“I'm quite happy to talk about my illness, my journey and that's part of the Cancer Society's program. They have a mentorship program where if someone is diagnosed with something that they're not getting the answers (for) or not sure what to expect with treatment they have people who have actually gone through treatment and cancer and sort of talk to them and say here's what you can expect, here's what happened to me, you know you will survive, you will make it. So I mean going public with it was a no-brainer for me I couldn't be more happy to give something back to my community.”

“And if you can get a team together or if you can make a donation or if you can just volunteer at the event come and talk to the people at the Canadian Cancer Society we always need help.”

“I think it's a glorious opportunity to give back to community and to have fun doing it.”



The event goes June 21 from 7 pm to 7 am at the Canadian Forces Base, 22 Wing.

Last year the North Bay Relay for Life raised $240,000 and they are hoping to reach a quarter of a million dollars this year.

To register a team, make a donation or volunteer call the Canadian Cancer Society at 705-472-9072 or via email at [email protected].