Polar Dip into Lake Erie raises nearly $100,000 for families navigating childhood cancer
It’s one of ChildCan’s signature events.
Each year, hundreds of people strip down to their bathing suits, and take a dip into Lake Erie in Port Stanley, Ont. to raise funds for the important organization.
“Our circle of community comes together,” said Suzanne Fratschko Elliott, ChildCan Executive Director. “They do a lot of peer-to-peer fundraising to support the work of the organization, which ultimately helps our kids and families that are navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis.”
Families like the Swartzentruber’s.
“Micah was diagnosed with a brain tumor about two and a half years ago,” said Ashley Swartzentruber. “Then when he woke up, he didn't really respond. He couldn't eat, move, walk or talk and that was really difficult. We went through radiation chemotherapy and rehabilitation and now today he can ride his bike, he is playing Lego again and eating all his favorite foods.”
The Swartzentruber family from left to right, Ashley, Micah, 8, Sam, and Anna, 5, were the ChildCan spokespeople for the 2024 Polar Dip on March 2, 2024. Micah was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)Micah, 8, said he loves riding his bike, playing Lego, listening to music, and “being adventurous.”
Micah’s speech is slowly coming along as well. He has a hard time with balance and just got a hearing aid.
Doctors have told his parents they are amazed at how quickly he is recovering.
“I think that was the hardest thing, that he wasn't able to be a kid,” said Ashley.
She continued, “He was just laying in a hospital bed. I was worried he would never be able to play Lego because his fine motor skills. I was worried he [would] never be able to talk again. I was worried he couldn't walk. I was worried he wouldn't be able to eat. There was so much, but we made it through.”
48 teams plunged into Lake Erie near Port Stanley to raise money for ChildCan at their annual Polar Dip on March 2, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)Now that Micah’s two years out of treatment, his family was among the record 48 teams taking the plunge into Lake Erie.
Unlike previous years where the water was icy and frigid, and the temperatures well below freezing, this year it was in the double-digit.
Dressed like a mermaid, Childcan’s executive director even took the plunge.
“I am way out of my comfort zone,” said Fratschko Elliott. “I keep saying, ‘If what our kids go through in treatment, they can handle that, I can handle a little bit of cold water.’”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
BREAKING Loblaw, George Weston to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
U.K. police officer suspended after video appears to show a man being kicked in head
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Unclaimed bodies are piling up in Newfoundland. A funeral director blames the government
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.