Wilfrid Laurier University’s women’s basketball team raising funds for cancer research, inspired by family of player

Basketball players at Wilfrid Laurier University are raising money for melanoma research. CTV's Colton Wiens finds out why.

An annual fundraiser is taking on a deeply personal issue for Wilfrid Laurier University’s women’s basketball team.

The annual Shoot For the Cure Game is coming up this week as part of the yearly USports campaign to raise funds for cancer research.

This year, the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks are raising funds for Melanoma Canada. They were inspired by a family member of one of the team’s players.

“The diagnosis that my dad has been through, if he was diagnosed with that over 14 years ago, he wouldn’t be here today,” Keira Aikman, a forward on the team, explained. “Throughout the past 14 years of it spreading throughout his body, it’s been super well having Melanoma Canada be able to fundraise.”

This year marks the 19^th year for the Shoot For The Cure campaign. To date, it has helped raise more than $2 million for breast cancer research.

Recently, each participating team was given the option to raise funds for different types of cancer research.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in Canada these days who isn’t connected somehow to cancer and it’s debilitating effects,” Megan Reid, manager and head coach of the Golden Hawks women’s basketball team, said. “We all have personal stories. This is the first time as a team, and I love when fundraising initiatives, when awareness and education initiatives become personalized because it’s embedded so much more and is so much more impactful for our student athletes, but also, for our fundraising efforts.”

“I don’t think there’s anybody on our team who wouldn’t run through a wall for Keira Aikman,” Reid said. “Every day she comes in with a smile on her face, and I didn’t even really know what was happening until later, after I’d known her for at least a month. You wouldn’t know, because she comes in every day and works her tail off, does everything that she can for everybody else. And it’s just, to me, it’s a testament of the strength of her family and the impact that having gone through this at such a young age with her father continuing to go through it every day. She’s an incredible human.”

Knowing what Aikman’s family has been through and continues to endure, the team had no issues choosing to help fund melanoma research.

“We all were given the opportunity to voice our opinion on what we think it should be. We all just agreed that we wanted to support Keira in this and her family,” Kayleigh Rawson, guard with the team, said. “I think it’s important for us not only to support her but her family [as well] as Golden Hawks and uplift them through this time and give back to the foundation that’s given so much to them,”

Aikman said her father continues to fight the disease today.

“He’s been through multiple treatments, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and many surgeries. Throughout the past 14 years, it’s been medically advanced beneficially. That’s why I find donating to this cause is super important, because it will just get better from here,” Aikman said.

Aikman also advocates for everyone to learn more about the disease and its dangers.

“It’s not just a sun exposure disease. It’s a very genetic disease. It’s been through generations of my family. So, it’s really important to know your family’s medical history and to be aware of it, to be educated on it and to always know if you’re concerned about a spot on your body to always go check it out. Many people regret not getting checked out and it ends up being more serious than it should have been in the first place,” Aikman said.

“Many people don’t know that it’s genetic. And a lot of people just think, ‘Oh, I’m not sunburnt. I’m a very tan person. I’m not going to get melanoma.’ But it happens super, super quick. And just your everyday life choices can really impact your future,” Aikman said.

The Shoot For The Cure game tips off at 6 p.m. at the Laurier Athletic Complex. Proceeds from all ticket sales will support the cause. Donations can also be made through the team’s fundraising page.