The Movember movement has a new champion in the form of fallen hero Garrett Paquette.
Paquette, from Nanaimo, died in a ATV crash Nov. 11, but his family and friends were determined to make sure that his goal of creating a fundraising tsunami for the Movember effort – designed to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer – would be fulfilled.
The community has rallied around the efforts by his friends and family to honour him, by celebrating his life with spontaneous fundraising events that have driven Paquette into the top 10 in Canada for Movember fundraising. Canada leads the world in these fundraising efforts, having raised more than $32 million as of Nov. 30.
Paquette’s Movember team is composed of a group of fellow Royal Bank of Canada workers. The Nanai-MO RBC Stallions carried on his efforts and, with the assistance of family, friends and community supporters, drove the funds raised to more than $34,000.
In addition to donations, Paquette’s Movember webpage was rife with warm, supportive comments from more than 600 visitors looking to aid his success and the family’s goal to try and reach top fundraiser in Canada.
“He would be so proud to see the support that has gathered around his cause. Garrett was always able to find the good in every situation and turn negative things into positive ones,” said his wife, Angela. “Even in his passing, his legacy lives on.”
The official deadline for donations to Movember is Wednesday (Dec. 7) and the family hopes to raise more than $50,000 in his name.
Michael Hildebrand, Paquette’s brother, has helped organize a lot of the fundraising efforts.
“Garrett has inspired so many people, and always put his heart into everything he did,” said Hildebrand. “ If people have not yet donated, there’s still time in this last week to make it a reality.”
To help raise awareness and funds for men’s health, please visit http://ca.movember.com/mospace/1608830/ to make a donation.
Continuing fundraising efforts include a raffle by Nanaimo’s Hub City Fisheries for a $1,000 seafood pack. Tickets are $20 and are available until Saturday (Dec. 10). Please contact Hildebrand for tickets at mr_hildebrand@shaw.ca or 250-754-8054 or 250-714-0727.