100% of all team fees were donated directly to the cause with the venue being graciously donated by the University of Winnipeg and all MABO referees volunteering their time to work the games. Basketball Manitoba was able to insure all participants for the weekend and aided with promotional and operations support.
Donovan would like to thank all the supporters of the event including the volunteers who helped with score keeping, collecting donations at the door along with Tim Volk at the University of Winnipeg, Wes Crymble at MABO and Adam Wedlake and Basketball Manitoba for all their support.
The game results from the weekend have been updated below.
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You can still donate to the cause by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.
Plans are already under way for next year's event which is expected to open up to a women's division. Basketball Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and MABO would like to offer our most sincere thanks to Donovan and all his efforts to get this event off the ground!
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The 'Ballin' for Awareness' Senior Men's Basketball Tournament is coming to the University of Winnipeg Duckworth Centre on September 19-20, 2014. The 8 team basketball event is being coordinated by Donovan Gayle with all proceeds benefiting Cancer Care Manitoba. The plan is to make this an annual event to raise awareness and needed funds for cancer research and resources.Donations to Cancer Care Manitoba will be accepted at the door plus the Canadian Blood Services will be on site educating people about the need for blood donations.
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Donovan Gayle’s life took a turn on June 9, 2013, that the former BU Bobcats player and assistant coach never expected. Gayle, who was born in Jamaica and moved to Canada at the age of 16, found some blood in his saliva as he was finishing up playing a pick-up game of basketball. After going to a walk-in clinic the next day, the doctor said that it wasn’t a chest infection, and that he should go to the emergency room to have some tests run. The tests resulted in Donovan being diagnosed with leukemia.
When the doctor told him the news, Gayle says that he couldn’t believe it. “I was like, ‘How is that possible? I’m a 32-year-old guy, very active, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink.’ ”
He was also told that he would require a bone marrow transplant. The first person they tested for a match was his sister. Fortunately, she was a match, saving Donovan from having to rely on the national blood bank. “Thank god for that,” he praises. READ MORE...
As an appreciation for all the support that he received while battling the disease, Donovan is hosting this event with 100% of all revenues going directly to CanacerCare Manitoba. The University of Winnipeg has donated the use of their facility at no cost and the MABO referees for the event will be donating their time to work the games. Basketball Manitoba is covering all the insurance costs for all participants plus everyone else is volunteering their time!Ballin' for Cancer Awareness Basketball Tournament
Dates: Friday September 19 and Saturday September 20, 2014
Times: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm both nights
Location: University of Winnipeg Duckworth Centre - 400 Spence Street (see map below)
Admission: Donations to CancerCare Manitoba will be accepted at the door as admission to the tournament
TEAMS CONFIRMED TO DATE:- Team Beeray - Suk Singh
- The Church - Graham Bodnar
- University of Winnipeg - Mike Raimbault
- Buckets - Keith Omera
- Team B - Donovan Gayle
- Team Junior - Junior Delmonte
- Xcite Athletics (Regina) - Frankie Paris
- Canadian Mennonite University - Billy Isaac
HOW TO DONATE TO CANCERCARE MANITOBA
- Please go to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation home page: http://www.cancercarefdn.mb.ca
- Please click the red button in the right hand corner that says "Donate Now"
- This will take you to the Donate Now page - Please click "Make a General Donation"
- Please complete the general donation page with the Comments section completed.
- It is very important to complete the "Comments" section so that Ballin’ for
- Cancer Awareness will be credited with your donation. In the Comments section. Please make sure to type in Ballin’ for Cancer Awareness
- If you would rather, you may also phone in your donation to (204) 787-4143. Please make sure you indicate that you wish your donation to be credited to Ballin’ for Cancer Awareness
For more information on the event, please contact
Donovan Gayle
(204) 979-2410
deebo_21770@hotmail.com
For more information on CancerCare Manitoba, please contact
Bob Jones, VP Marketing and Communications
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation
Direct: 204-787-1377
Bob.Jones@cancercare.mb.ca