Childcan Polar Dip in Port Stanley, Ont. surpasses goal of $100,000

Dozens of teams braved the arctic-like conditions at Little Beach in Port Stanley, Ont. for the annual Childcan Polar Dip. CTV London's Brent Lale reports.

Dozens of teams braved the arctic-like conditions at Little Beach in Port Stanley, Ont. for the annual Childcan Polar Dip.

With frigid temperatures feeling like -15 Celsius with the wind chill factor, fundraisers ran dressed in costumes, and some even in as little as a bathing suit.

“It has been a record breaker as we have never had as many participants and as many teams,” said Suzanne Fratscko Elliott, the executive director of Childcan. “Just the exuberance and excitement at the beach is just unbelievable. Even the number of childhood cancer survivors, who we call our Childcan kids, we have seven dipping which is just miraculous.”

With seven childhood cancer survivors going into the water, it shows that what the organization is doing is making a difference.

“It is such a hopeful thing,” said Elliott.

“We all know what the other outcome can be, so every year we’re here to celebrate those wonderful survivors, but also to remember those kids that have not survived the disease. We are really grateful that a community like ours can come together and support and lift everybody up and hope.”

The organization set an online fundraising goal of $100,000. By noon Saturday, a few donations had pushed them over that mark.

“The $100,000 goes directly to support kids and families navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis by providing tangible financial support that really helps mitigate, the significant impact that they suffer financially while they’re navigating the treatments.”