LOCKED, RELOADED AND READY TO RUMBLE #FTEC2021 | DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION!

SAVE THE DATE…
Our #FTEC2021 Charity Boxing Gala Is Locked And Reloaded: Saturday, June 5th, 2021

The decision to postpone the 9th annual Fight To End Cancer 2020 Gala was very difficult, but a necessary step in light of the pandemic. Although at this point we are uncertain when business, events, or even competitive sport will return to operation, we do know that the fighters, sponsors and community continue to Fight To End Cancer, and Defeat Is NOT An Option! The FTEC2020 Fight Team have already dedicated SIX MONTHS of their already busy lives, transforming into amateur competitive boxers. They’re now ‘Locked and Reloaded’, getting Ready to Rumble in June 2021.
The FTEC Fight Team, in concert with our presenting partners Landscape Plus Ltd. and Grafton Apparel Ltd., are working to make FTEC history by reaching the $2 million dollars in total funds raised.
Our fight, and the support we provide to The Princess Margaret is even more important during these times. We are extremely honoured to fight alongside the team of doctors and researchers as we Fight Cancer and Conquer COVID.
Be a part of history and Join The Fight! 

CONQUER COVID FOR CANCER FUND
Help cancer patients and frontline healthcare workers NOW!

While our doors remain closed, Our Fight To End Cancer Family remains dedicated to our vision of Conquering Cancer with The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, but first, we must #ConquerCOVID. Our urgent priority at this time is to protect cancer patients and our frontline health workers. During this evolving pandemic, every minute counts. That’s why we need your support now for a new life-saving Conquer COVID for Cancer fund. Learn More

Let’s Take A Moment To Meet Our FTEC2020 Heroes…

BOUT 1 BROUGHT TO YOU BY VIENI ESTATES

FTEC 2021 will kick off with a fight sponsored by Vieni Estates that promises to be of mythical proportions featuring a Mermaid and a Jedi Knight.  Between the siren song and Jedi mind tricks, they may have us all believing this will be the fight of the night.
Alissa “Wink” Winicki sponsored by RV Law LLP, can be found riding her motorcycle many summer nights to the Secret Society of Mermaids meetings held somewhere along the lakeshore.  An avid painter, Wink says her favourite colours are black and blue.  She promises a free face painting lesson for her opponent on fight night.

“I’m sincerely humbled and honoured to be a part of the 2021 Fight to End Cancer (FTEC) team. I first learned about the FTEC a few years ago. Immediately, the words challenge, sacrifice, commitment, and strength came to mind. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Cancer plagues us all. If you’re lucky enough not to have lost a family member or close friend to cancer it doesn’t mean you haven’t been affected. It doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. It doesn’t mean you haven’t shed a tear, been at a loss for words, or truly grasped the feeling of helplessness when this disease unfairly latches on to a friend of a friend, a client’s wife, an old babysitter, a mother’s childhood friend, a boyfriend’s uncle, a mentor’s father…The list sorrowfully goes on. And it will continue to go on unless we take action. So rather than sit idle while this disease continues to permeate and blacken the lives around me, I choose to fight. I choose to collect funds in support of cancer research. I choose to partner with FTEC, because I don’t know of any message more forceful and determined than DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION.”

Julia “Immortal Iron Fist” Siegal sponsored by Wolfepoint Management Consulting,  is a Jedi Knight in good standing who is constantly refining her telekinesis abilities through hands-free baking.  Although details are sketchy, the rumour is that Iron Fist is working on a signature combination named “Pint and a Slice” that she plans to feed to her opponent on fight night.  It should make for a tasty bout!

“I’m honoured to be fighting alongside my husband Josh Siegal in the 2021 Fight To End Cancer. I fight for his Grandmother Roz, and for my friends and family that are scared to have kids because cancer runs in their family. Wonderful, incredible people are lost to this horrible disease every day, and if I can do even a little bit to help bring us closer to eradicating it, that would be an awesome feeling.”

BOUT 2 BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLD MILL TORONTO

Our second bout of the night, sponsored by Old Mill Toronto, features a clash in styles.  The long-limbed fighter versus the lighting quick attack promises to showcase the beauty and science of boxing.
Joshua “The First Avenger” Siegal sponsored by Hilite Fine Foods Inc., is a self-proclaimed expert in being effectively organized, which sounds remarkably made-up.  The First Avenger says he is training hard, eating his vitamins and has one question for his opponent: “Whatcha gonna do when Siegalmania runs wild on you?”

“My grandmother, Roz, was one of the toughest women around. She grew up the oldest of three sisters, her family having next to nothing.  No matter what life threw at her, there was always a fire burning inside her.  A passion and energy that could never be dimmed.

She travelled the world.  She raised four children.  She was an unbelievably doting wife to her husband, my grandfather, Marvin.  No matter how busy she was, she always had time and energy for her family.  No one had ever seen her scared of anything.”

Joey “The Nature Boy” Woo sponsored by Mechanical Systems Remanufacturing, is living his teenage dream every day, working with full-sized trains for a living.  Who knew that all those hours spent locked away in his dorm room playing with trains would payoff?  This former model and current unpaid spokesperson for Blackberry, is the self-elected head of the infamous Woo-Tang Clan.

“Life can be strange sometimes. There are days when you feel invincible like you’re on top of the world, and then there are days when life throws you into situations, where nothing can prepare you for the harsh reality that awaits. For me, life hit our family hard on January 24, 2018, when my father Simon, lost his battle with cancer.

And I still remember that day like it was yesterday.”

BOUT 3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY EAGLE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES

The third fight of the night, sponsored by Eagle Professional Resources will showcase the skills of two high-performance athletes.  Whether it’s climbing to Everest base camp or winning the Ontario Championship, twice, these two competitors don’t know the meaning of the word quit.
Megan “Megatron” Facciuolo sponsored by Forge Recruitment, can typically be found coming back from, on her way to or planning her next adventure.  This world traveller plans on dazzling her opponent with some fancy footwork in the ring, employing her Royal Command Performance “Highland Shuffle”.

“We all know someone affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly. While some overcome it, many do not. I’ve been a witness to both circumstances: my one grandfather battled colon cancer, and at almost 90 years old, he is healthy, cancer-free and still hitting the slopes each ski season. The other, however, I never had the pleasure of knowing, because he was taken at a young age by lung cancer.”

Kristin “Smitty” Smith sponsored by Avison Young is no stranger to competition and hard work.  This former Golden Gael hockey star holds two interesting records.  Smitty was part of the second-longest hockey game in history and she once caused Gordie Howe to turtle during an on-ice dustup during an exhibition game.

“What started out as only wanting to try something new, very quickly turned into an opportunity to be a part of something more impactful than I ever imagined was possible. Cancer has affected us all in one way or another and it does not discriminate. Cancer doesn’t care how old someone is, how meaningful they are to those around them, or how shattered it will leave the lives of those who remain behind.” 

CO-MAIN EVENT | BOUT 4 BROUGHT TO YOU BY GRAFTON APPAREL

The FTEC 2021 Co-Main Event, sponsored by our Presenting Partners at Grafton Apparel,  will feature one of the nicest fighters we have ever met and a fighter still to be chosen.  As Iron Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. For this team, that’s exactly what happened. The pandemic came as a sucker punch to both fighters, leaving Paula Higgins with a very difficult decision. Unfortunately, her journey as a fighter will stop this year, however, she continues to support her opponent and team as they enter the next chapter of their extended novel.
Elissa “The Preacher” Herrington sponsored by our presenting partners at Grafton Apparel, is an HR professional with an edge.  Known for regularly trying out one-liners from her stand-up act during her interviews, Crazy-E is using her dislike of chaos as motivation as she prepares to step into the ring against an opponent yet to be chosen.  She has adopted “take on all comers” as her personal mantra as her training continues.

“In February 2019, I joined Grafton Apparel as their Human Resources Manager. When I joined the company, I knew we sponsored Fight to End Cancer…but didn’t understand the depth of what went into this incredible fundraising event until June 2019, when I was invited to attend.

When I was sitting in my chair, spectating, I said to myself – and everyone at my table…as I realized I had been speaking my inner thoughts out loud – that I was going to put my ‘hat in the ring’ and tryout for next years fight.” 

Paula “The Golden Girl” Higgins sponsored by Eagle Professional Resources Inc. loves to plan adventurous road trips to locations such as Kapuskasing and Iqaluit.   When not in the gym, Paula can be found choreographing an intricate dance routine that features her collection of Disney figurines and the music from Frozen. Inspired by Patrick Mahomes, Paula is already working on her post-fight “I am going to Disney World” line.

“I started this journey because I have a deep admiration for the level of courage and strength I have witnessed in cancer fighters and survivors over the last decade. I chose to fight to send a message that you are never alone and we are stronger when we work together.

The last 6 months that I committed to training for the FTEC 2020 fight has been an incredible experience and I have grown to love and respect this community of inspiring individuals that make FTEC possible each year. I’m proud to have been able to support The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and the incredible research they do. I had hoped to raise $20,000 before fight night, however, I will continue to fight alongside my team and cheer on their efforts from outside the ropes! I truly believe we can conquer cancer in our lifetime and it’s going to take a lot of hard work and support.”

MAIN EVENT | BOUT 5 BROUGHT TO YOU BY LANDSCAPE PLUS LTD.

The FTEC 2021 Main Event sponsored by Landscape Plus features two Real Estate professionals and has been nicknamed ABC – Always Be Closing.  Not only do we expect to see fists flying but those at ringside might have some business cards thrown your way so keep your eyes open!
Mike “The Closer” Forshee sponsored by Home Trust Company, is an international man of mystery who maintains a “go bag” close at hand at all times.  The Closer recently signed a recording contract with Caterwaul Records and is currently in the studio putting the final touches on his first album, “This guy can’t sing”.

“I was sitting on a plane in Calgary when a text came through to tell me that a friend of mine had passed away due to cancer.  The feeling and shock that I felt that day has never left me.  Up until that point, I was largely untouched by cancer and because of that, I had an ignorance towards this disease and the effects, both physically and emotionally, that it has on people living with the disease and their loved ones.  Since that time I have had a few family members battle cancer.  It is because of their fight that I chose to join this fight.  The commitment to the training, fundraising and ultimately the fight itself is going to be a long and challenging time however it truly pales in comparison to the daily fight that cancer patients and their loved ones endure.”

Scott “Lights-Out” Selland sponsored by Nude Vodka can typically be found in his kitchen perfecting a new recipe or crate diving for that rare piece of vinyl.  A world-famous musician and chef, ‘Lights Out’ is currently developing a Rock Opera that tells the story of the rise and fall of George the brussel sprout.  The rumour is that the final scene features the hero in a charity boxing match.

“I live in Toronto’s West end with my wife Lindsay and two young daughters, Olivia and Abigail, where we run a successful Real Estate team. Over the years our family has had several close calls with cancer, which they were fortunate enough to beat, with the help of cutting-edge treatments.  I’ve seen first-hand how new developments and technologies can help individuals and families conquer cancer. Over the next six months I will be enduring intensive training and preparation with my teammates, working hard to raise money to help make a difference in cancer research.”

Campaign Photo Credit: Spencer Wynn

About The Fight To End Cancer
The Fight To End Cancer (FTEC) is a year-round initiative carried out by ambassadors, sponsors and volunteers worldwide.  Over $1,500,000 has been donated to date since our inaugural year in 2012.  Funds raised by FTEC are donated directly to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.  Each year we celebrate the incredible hard work and dedication of our FTEC family with a black-tie charity boxing gala.  This gala showcases ten men and women who represent our Official Fight Team.  Our goal is to raise funds for cancer research year-round with the support of the local community and business owners.  Let’s make a difference now in the fight to end cancer for a long and successful future for everyone.  This is an event like no other and has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in Toronto. www.fighttoendcancer.com
About The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation at University Health Network raises funds for breakthrough research, exemplary teaching and compassionate care at Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.thepmcf.ca