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 Ian McCarton at the University of Winnipeg, Wes Crymble at MABO and Adam Wedlake and Basketball Manitoba for all their support.
He commented...
- "I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of the players who participated and gave up their weekend to make the 2nd annual “Ballin' for the Cure” Cancer Awareness basketball event a great success. I could not have done this without all of your support and commitment to this cause which I hold very close to my heart, and for that I am truly grateful. Your participation and involvement in this event has contributed to the cure and prevention of cancer, as well as improving the outcomes and quality of life for Manitobans with Leukemia. Next year “Balling for the Cure” will be back and I look forward to hopefully seeing you all back on the court with me!"
The game results from the weekend have been updated below.
VIEW EVENT PHOTO GALLERY
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 even more teams. 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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RESULTS UPDATED: The Ballin' for the Cure Basketball Tournament organized by Donovan Gayle has announced that it will return for a second year on August 28-29, 2015 at the University of Winnipeg Duckworth Centre. The inaugural event raised $3000 for CancerCare Manitoba and year 2 is hoping to double that figure! The 2015 event will feature 10 senior men's teams.
100% of all team fees will be 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.
Donations to CancerCare 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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| Basketball Manitoba's Adam Wedlake (left) along with Donovan Gayle (right) present the $3000 to CancerCare Manitoba |
Donovan's Story
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.”
After another blood test in Winnipeg came back with the same result – acute leukemia, which requires aggressive treatment – Donovan stayed in the hospital for a month in order to start chemotherapy treatment immediately. After leaving the hospital, another test was performed. It found that the cancer was not in remission, and he had to continue treatment at an out-patient clinic. Future rounds of treatment went much better, with little to no negative symptoms, allowing more treatments to be done in relatively rapid succession.
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.
As an appreciation for all the support that he received while battling the disease.
2015 Ballin' for Cancer Awareness Basketball Tournament
- Dates: Friday August 28, Saturday August 29, 2015
- Times: Friday, 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
- 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
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
VIEW 2014 EVENT PHOTO GALLERY