The Canadian Cancer Society is gearing up for its annual Dry Feb campaign, encouraging Canadians to stay sober for the month of February to raise money.
Drinking any type and any amount of alcohol can increase your risk of nine different cancers, according to the Dry Feb website. Those types of cancer include head and neck, breast, esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colorectal, and liver.
"One of the core mandates here at the Canadian Cancer Society is to educate and empower people to take action and reduce their cancer risk," said Apiramy Jeyapalan, senior policy analyst. "We hope that through this fundraiser, we're able to do just that and encourage people to go dry, but also re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol."
Participants can sign up individually or with a team to raise funds. Money raised goes to support cancer research, advocate for healthy public policies, and provide support to those affected by cancer.
"It could potentially have some great benefits such as sleeping better and having more energy, all while raising funds to save and improve lives," said Jeyapalan. "It's really a win-win because you're helping both yourself and others."
Other benefits include a general sense of well being, a clearer head, and a sense of achievement.
If you're interested in taking part, you can register on dryfeb.ca. It all kicks off February 1.
