HOWZZAT!
CANADA’S LARGEST STREET CRICKET FUNDRAISER
The inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer tournament, the largest street cricket fundraiser in Canada, signalled a major moment in Canada’s evolving sports landscape and serves as a powerful symbol of community, culture and hope. Image credit: PMCF.
More than 400 cricketers gathered at Celebration Square as The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (The PMCF) hosted the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer – the largest street cricket fundraiser in Canada.
This landmark event, presented by TD, signalled a major moment in Canada’s evolving sports landscape and serves as a powerful symbol of community, culture and hope.
“This event is about rallying a community, celebrating diversity, and changing the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed and treated,” said Dr Miyo Yamashita, President and CEO, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
This exciting first-of-its-kind fundraising event united cancer survivors, caregivers, athletes, celebrities and supporters of all backgrounds in one shared mission: to create a world free from the fear of cancer.
“I felt powerless when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and when my close friend, Kenroy, passed away from this disease,” said Carlos Brathwaite, international cricket star. “I’m proud to bring my passion for cricket to Canada to help launch this event and raise funds for cancer research that can help transform cancer care and treatment everywhere – including my home, Barbados.”
With 2 in 5 Canadians facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, the event was more than just a game – it was a community movement for collective impact. Proceeds will benefit life-saving research at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world’s leading cancer research and treatment centres.
Top fundraising teams had the unique opportunity to draft celebrity players onto their teams through a celebrity draft including notable ambassadors Jully Black, Jamaal Magloire, Dwayne De Rosario and Carlos Brathwaite.
These household names joined local teams on the pitch, highlighting the inclusive and celebratory nature of the event.
“As a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, cricket was a source of endless joy in my family,” said Jully Black, Canadian singer-songwriter and artist. “This cause is deeply personal. Cancer has touched every corner of my life – my father is a proud survivor, sadly my mother and grandmother passed away from the disease, and at 27 years old, I too, faced my own cancer scare. These experiences left a profound impact on me. I jumped at the opportunity to champion a cause that uplifts, educates, and unites communities to bring hope in the face of a cancer diagnosis.”
Cricket to Conquer Cancer’s event included a full day of family-friendly festivities with cricket matches, live musical performances, food trucks, cultural cuisine, and interactive cricket experiences for all ages.
While this year’s fundraiser has come to a close, the Foundation encourages new and returning participants to register online for next year’s Cricket to Conquer Cancer event at cricket2conquer.ca.