The Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation officially launched its third annual Show Us Your Brave campaign on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in downtown Windsor. The month-long initiative, which begins May 1, supports cancer patients across Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton.
Bravery in the Face of Cancer
Jonathan Foster, regional vice president of cancer services at Windsor Regional Hospital, emphasized the quiet courage of those battling the disease. "It's courage that doesn't always make headlines, courage that doesn't always feel heroic to the person who is living it, that defines what bravery truly is," he said. "Because when someone hears the words 'you have cancer,' bravery is no longer a choice that is required."
Fundraising Goal and Progress
The campaign has already raised over $168,000 of its $400,000 objective, according to Houida Kassem, executive director of the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation. Funds will purchase essential equipment for the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre, including bladder scanners and vein finders.
Since its founding, the foundation has raised more than $35 million for the cancer centre, supporting equipment, patient programs, and research.
Brave Day Rappel
The campaign culminates in Brave Day on May 23, where participants who raise $1,500 can rappel from the top of the 30-metre (170-foot) CIBC Building on Ouellette Avenue.
Campaign ambassadors Chris Prestu, Christina Bonadonna, and Jim Crichton shared personal stories at the launch. Bonadonna, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2025, described the experience as a "total life upheaval." She said the support has been overwhelming: "It just definitely reiterates that I'm not alone."
Early Detection Message
Kassem stressed the importance of early detection. "Be brave enough to call your doctor," she urged. "Be brave enough to find out if there's something that's off ... and go to the doctor's office and get it checked."
Bonadonna, who will participate in the rappel, shared an Italian expression that helped her through treatment: "Tira avanti," meaning "keep moving forward ... don't you dare give up." She added, "Every appointment, every scan, every chemotherapy treatment, every time I had to walk through that door at the cancer centre, I had to show how brave I could be. It's one foot in front of the other, and just move forward, and you can do anything."
