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Canora family makes important contributions to cancer battle

Community rallies to support those in the fight of their lives.
Rocky Neufeld
Rocky Neufeld

CANORA — Alyssa Lukey of Canora will never forget 2009, the year her 16-year-old niece Karrington Ross lost her battle with brain cancer.

The tragic loss has had a lasting impact on Lukey and her daughters Dalia and Zennia.

“Ever since then, we have been cutting our hair or shaving our heads to help cancer patients and it has become a family tradition,” said Alyssa.

The Lukey family efforts have supported the work of Braden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer.

“For Karrington, I started donating my hair in 2009,” shared Alyssa. “So far between me and my daughters, we have donated enough hair for one wig.”

In another fundraising effort, the Lukey family held a baked goodie sale at the Red Apple Store in Canora on May 21, featuring their homemade doughnuts, cookies and scuffles.

“The bake sale raised over $800 at the Red Apple store,” detailed Alyssa. “And with all other donations my grand total was $1,250. My goal was $100 an inch, so we ended up cutting over 12 inches of hair off.”

The Close Cuts total raised for this year was over $69.000. The top fundraiser was Internet celebrity Quick Dick McDick, who accumulated over $55,000

According to information provided by Leone and Greg Ottenbreit, the Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer head shaving and hair cut event started in 1998.

It began when Brayden Ottenbreit, a young boy from Yorkton, was diagnosed with cancer. To support him, his dad Greg, his uncle Grant, and a group of friends decided to shave their heads.

Sadly, Braden passed away at five years of age in February of 2000, but through the event, his spirit lives on. Brayden’s determined fight with cancer continues to inspire people who never had the opportunity to meet with him.

"In 2017, cancer once again struck our family, with Brayden’s dad, Greg, being diagnosed with the disease. He is currently in remission and we continue our dedication to fund cancer research in the hopes that, until a cure is found, cancer can become a disease that you can live with rather than fear dying from.

“We are partnered with the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan to fund Saskatchewan-based, leading edge cancer research at the University of Saskatchewan. Every dollar raised stays in our province.”

Hair can be donated to “Wigs for Kids” if the following requirements are met. Hair must be:

-Clean, dry and free of styling products;

-A minimum of 12 inches long;

-Unprocessed;

-Less than 20 per cent gray hair;

-Bundled at both ends in a ponytail or a braid; and

-Sealed in a new, sterile zippered plastic bag with donor’s name and contact information written on the outside of the bag.

Over the last 25 years, this event has raised over $1 million, with money designated to cancer research and local cancer initiatives, concluded the information.