Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker has called on members of the legislature to work harder to help end childhood cancer. Bill Walker received unanimous consent at Queens Park for his motion to have all MPPs wear symbolic gold ribbons to support children and families affected by the disease. Walker says he wears his ribbon in honour of two teen aged boys whose childhoods were cut short by cancer: family friend Conah Higgins, and Owen Sound resident Brendan Rourke Rourke's father Neal now works hard to ensure more is done to build a future free from cancer. Walker echoes the dream of his hero Terry Fox, that we will soon, find a cure for all cancers. He says, "Somewhere the hurting must stop." Terry Fox Runs are planned across midwestern Ontario this Sunday to raise money in the battle against cancer
Walker says, "I myself wear this gold ribbon today in honour of two people. First is Conah Higgins, the son of dear family friends. Conah was in the process of moving to Canada from the UK when he sadly passed away from cancer at the age of 17. The other is in memory of Brendan Rourke, a young man from my riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound and to recognize tireless advocacy work of his father, Neal Rourke who, in collaboration with an international network of parent groups and survivor networks, is raising funds and awareness for young girls and boys whose childhoods have been regretfully cut short. Three weeks ago, Neal, along with three young cancer survivors, rang the opening bell at the Toronto Stock Exchange to mark the beginning of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Neal, along with volunteers from the Childhood Cancer International and Big Book of Care campaigns are reminding us to do more so we can build a future free from cancer; that is, to build on the progress achieved at all levels of society and to make new drug research possible so we can ensure a brighter and healthier future for all of our children. That means government, industry, hospitals, research institutes and individual and corporate donors."
