The pandemic may have knocked large-scale fundraisers to their knees these last couple of years but Fight for the Cure has never gone down for the count.
It was back in action Saturday to reclaim its title as one of the most entertaining and exciting nights for the Ottawa business community.
The white-collar boxing event and dinner gala has also become highly successful, raising more than $1 million for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (ORCF), which helps people diagnosed with cancer across Eastern Ontario by funding local research and clinical trials and by delivering community-based, non-medical support through its new Ottawa Community Cancer Hub.
They say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But what if it’s outdated? Keeping up with the latest technologies can be a challenge when the pace of innovation is
Fidus Systems Inc.’s selection last year as AMD Adaptive Compute Partner of the Year is a reflection of the world-class talent the company has assembled in Ottawa. As the first
From left, MILLIONS.co chief executive Matt Whitteker and his brother Scott Whitteker at Fight for the Cure, a white-collar boxing event and gala dinner that they co-founded 15 years ago in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsSiblings Shauna Bradley, Kristen Bradley and Michael Bradley from the family-owned Heart & Crown Irish pubs, which is the long-time presenting sponsor of Fight for the Cure, a white-collar boxing event and gala dinner held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
First-time attendees included Michael Maidment, president and CEO of the ORCF. He was thrilled to be there, of course, but he also felt a sense of relief in knowing the money from the event will help patients during a time when there’s been a tremendous backlog in cancer cases, due to the pandemic.
This year’s fundraiser nearly doubled the previous record-breaking total set in 2019, when the event was last held. Returning as the presenting sponsor was the Heart & Crown. The family-owned Irish pub has been supporting FFTC since the beginning. Tony Graham Family Foundation and Inflector Environmental Services were also among the larger sponsors.
The boxers each made a grand entrance, wearing hooded robes and accompanied by an entourage. The fighters stepped into the conspicuous ring erected in the middle of the ballroom and, for the next several minutes, gave it their all before a cheering crowd of more than 1,000 people.
There was a panel of judges to decide the winner of each bout but, really, on a night like this, there are no losers. It takes guts and courage to do what these men did.
Among those watching in the crowd was former FFTC fighter Shawn Hamilton, vice president of business development for CANDEREL. He has no plans to give it another go. “But, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” he added. “I loved it. It was hard, but it was awesome.”
From left, Michael Simmons (Inflector Environmental Services) fights Alex Charette (Scotia Wealth Management) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Dan Marques (Cresa) in the ring with Mike Penney (Assent Compliance) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsRoch Picknell (Wired Synergy) was the top fundraiser at this year's Fight for the Cure white-collar boxing event and dinner gala held in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsCornerman volunteer Adam Kane (Scotia Wealth Management) with James Nguyen (Quantropi) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Josh Garellek (Arctic Leaf) in the ring with Phil Lemieux (Airon Group of Companies) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Rashad Aumeerally (Titan Capital) in the ring with Frank Ciccolini (Masters Insurance) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Alex Charette (Scotia Wealth Management) with Mike Simmons (Inflector Environmental Services), who was declared the winner of their bout at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Fight for the Cure requires participants to commit to training between two to three times a week for seven or eight months in order to get in boxing shape for what’s considered one of the toughest sports in the world. On top of their training, participants also raise as much money as they can from friends, family, colleagues and business contacts.
FFTC welcomed its first female boxers in 2018, followed by another pair in 2019. There were no women fighting this year, only because organizers couldn’t find two women of similar size.
This year’s top fundraiser was Wired Synergy president and CEO Roch Picknell. He took on James Nguyen, co-founder and CEO of Ottawa-based startup Quantropi, and won.
Because Picknell matched all the donations made to him, he reached a total of $402,000. Also bringing in the bucks were John Zinati, of Zinati Commercial Realty Brokerage, and Inflector Environmental Services vice president and area manager Michael Simmons. They each raised $100,000 for the cause.
Simmons’ winning match against Alex Charette from Scotia Wealth Management was called the “fight of the night” by returning emcee Walter Robinson. Simmons is the second business leader from Inflector to participate in Fight for the Cure. CEO Jeff Clarke fought in 2019 and raised the most money in the history of the event. He was there that night, literally in Simmons’ corner.
Mike Penney, global account manager at Assent Compliance, fought Dan Marques, principal at Cresa, and won. Zinati beat Tommy Ladouceur, manager at Serco Realty Group.
Rashad Aumeerally, CEO at Titan Capital Properties, lost against Frank Ciccolini, commercial insurance manager with Masters Insurance. The final fight saw Josh Garellek, co-founder and CEO of Arctic Leaf and co-founder of PartnerPortal.io, beat Phil Lemieux, general manager of Airon Group of Companies.
Former Fight for the Cure fighter Jeff Clarke in the ring with his colleague and friend Mike Simmons from Inflector Environmental Services at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline Phillips
After each three-round match, the boxers – still sweaty, tired and breathless — spoke with Robinson in the ring about their reasons for participating in FFTC. They had personal stories of loved ones and friends diagnosed with cancer. Several participants were inspired by the high-profile fight in 2012 between Justin Trudeau and Sen. Patrick Brazeau that saw the underdog win and go on to become prime minister of Canada a few years later.
Aumeerally is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed 40 years ago with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer. The survival rate was 50/50 at the time. Today, it’s closer to 90 percent. He’s a long-time supporter of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.
Fifteen years ago, Scott Whitteker and his big brother, Matt Whitteker, co-founded Fight for the Cure. They were barely adults and, admittedly, total lightweights when it came to organizing the thing.
“We had no idea how to put on a boxing match,” acknowledged Matt, a successful Ottawa entrepreneur who co-founded Assent Compliance and, more recently, is CEO and co-founder of e-commerce sports marketing platform MILLIONS.co. “We had no idea how to put on a white-collar boxing match and we had no idea how to fundraise.”
While the event has enjoyed a loyal following and sponsorship, he told everyone that credit really goes to Scott for doing the work of many. “This event happens because of one single person,” said Matt before introducing his younger brother to the stage, referring to him as “one of my heroes”.
From left, Daphne Ballard, Jim Carty (Royal LePage Commercial), Lisa Langevin (Kelly Santini LLP), Matt Jacques (Royal LePage Performance Realty), Derek Newberry (Govan Brown & Associates) and family wealth advisor Micheal Burch have all boxed in Fight for the Cure during past years in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsAssent Compliance co-founder Jon Hughes, seen with his girlfriend Vanessa Rowe, sponsors Fight for the Cure in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation through the Hughes Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, John Zinati (Zinati Realty Commercial Brokerage) in the ring with Tommy Ladouceur (Serco Realty Group) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, community leader Ian Sherman, who recently joined the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation board, is seen with the organization's vice president of community and development, Paula Muldoon, and Michael Maidment, president and CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsAlex Charette (Scotia Wealth Management) and Mike Simmons (Inflector Environmental) at the end of their three-round match at Fight for the Cure boxing event and dinner gala held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Josh Garellek (Arctic Leaf) in the ring with Phil Lemieux (Airon Group of Companies) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Rashad Aumeerally (Titan Capital) in the ring with Frank Ciccolini (Masters Insurance) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMaureen Graham from the Tony Graham Family Foundation is joined by Tony Graham Automotive Group general managers Ben George, left, and Dmitri Senkov, at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsJeff Clarke at Fight for the Cure with his fiancée, Susy Lee, president of Meerkat Marketing, at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMike Penney (Assent Compliance) and Dan Marques (Cresa) at the end of their three-round bout at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Marc Morin, partner at Koble Commercial Real Estate, with Colin Noble, vice president of deal advisory services at KPMG, both participated in Fight for the Cure in 2019 and were back to support this year's event in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Mike Penney (Assent Compliance) in the ring with Dan Marques (Cresa) at Fight for the Cure, a white-collar boxing event for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, held at Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Will Roantree, an associate at Kelly Santini LLP, with Melissa Moffitt, vice president of federal services at Govan Brown & Associates, Shawn Hamilton, senior vice president of business development with CANDEREL Group, and Lindsay Hockey, sales representative, principal at Avison Young, at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsEntrepreneur and former mayor Larry O'Brien (seen with RBC regional president Marjolaine Hudon at Fight for the Cure) was cheering on Quantropi CEO James Nguyen, who fought in the ring that night. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Brad Ezard, COO of Keynote Search, with Keynote manager Kelsey Mayo, Brenna Swann, vice president of global human resources at ORBCOMM, interior decorator Courtney Turk, Altis Recruitment vice president of marketing Kyle Turk (who's also a former Fight for the Cure fighter) and Susy Lee, president of Meerkat Marketing, at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsScott Whitteker steps into the ring to publicly thank sponsors and individuals who've been supporting Fight for the Cure, an annual white-collar boxing event and dinner gala that's cumulatively raised nearly $3 million for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsEmcee Walter Robinson in the ring with Rashad Aumeerally after his fight with Frank Ciccolini at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Josh Garellek (Arctic Leaf) in the ring with Phil Lemieux (Airon Group of Companies) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsTommy Ladouceur speaks with emcee Walton Robinson after finishing his three-round bout against John Zinati at Fight for the Cure, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Walter Robinson chats with Phil Lemieux following his fight against Josh Garellek at Fight for the Cure, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMike Simmons talks with emcee Walter Robinson following his three-round bout against Alex Charette at Fight for the Cure, held Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Dan Marques (Cresa) in the ring with Mike Penney (Assent Compliance) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Roch Picknell (Wired Synergy) in the ring with James Nguyen (Quantropi) at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Photo by Caroline PhillipsRashad Aumeerally (Titan Capital) makes his grand entrance into the ballroom at Hilton Lac-Leamy before climbing into the ring to participate in Fight for the Cure 2022 in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrank Ciccolini in the ring with Rashad Aumeerally at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline PhillipsJosh Garellek (Arctic Leaf) is declared the winner against Phil Lemieux at Fight for the Cure 2022, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
caroline@obj.ca
Get our email newsletters
Get up-to-date news about the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Ottawa and beyond.