Movember | Prostate Cancer Car Donation

Movember has arrived, and the men you care about are experimenting with various new looks to support the cause. Several of our receiving charities are linked to the movement as partners, too. 

Vehicle donors give BIG for Prostate Cancer

Our first shout out isn’t directly related to Movember, but it strikes right to the heart of this month’s cause! Have you had a chance to read, “A Man, A Mercedes, and A-wareness“? It’s one of hundreds of prized memories of prostate cancer vehicle donations.

Our Mercedes donor’s life was good, business was great and then – Boom. A scheduled trip to the doctor turned into a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The story grows from there.

No excuses | Mercedes donor knows about regular checks!

We all know that we should get our annual exams – female or male. Yet, so often we pass them off as unnecessary. No big deal! That’s where we can start to slide the slippery slope of irresponsibility, right? We would never choose that word for ourselves, but our donor has a message about exactly that.

The day he was diagnosed he’d almost blown off his dreaded annual appointment. He decided he’d better go. Frighteningly, he was sent for further testing. The doctor said it was probably nothing, but it needed to be checked. Again, his natural reaction was to slough it off and try to get out of it. He realized that he was using his busy-ness as an excuse, though. Furthermore, he knew it was a small price to pay in the form of his time, to ensure his future would be bright.

What a sucker punch to hear the ‘C’ word on the other side of the check up. The good news? Early detection meant his survival was pretty certain. Thankfully, that has proven to be the case!

In his words, it’s a stupid disease for a man to die from because it is very treatable if caught early. Men just don’t want to talk about it. It’s embarrassing and degrading so the misconceptions around it are perpetuated instead of being dealt with. Sure, the process can be harsh but the alternative isn’t pretty either.

Inspired by a scary diagnosis, he opted to make a difference for Prostate Cancer Canada

Our donor wanted to up the ante in awareness so men feel compelled to look after themselves. It’s important to him that they get their exams done.

So, he came up with a pretty stellar plan to do just that! His journey inspired him to make a substantial donation to help others in the same situation. His greatest goal, going forward, is to bring awareness about this disease, and to help others realize the importance of early detection.

One of the real life Mad Men

Ron Telpner can surely relate to our Mercedes donor. He shares his story on the Movember Foundation website,

I was one of the original mad men. You know, the infamous three martini lunches, all the toys you could possibly think of, fast cars, a cottage up north and traveling the world. Big clients with big wins. The kind of life many people might want.

But on September 7, 2010, none of that seemed to matter quite as much. I could tell by the way my doctor was looking at me when I went in to get my test results. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Ron goes on to say,

You can’t re-write the script

When I think about my years in advertising, the anguish I felt when I’d lose a big client and think, “Oh my god, it’s the end of the world.” But it wasn’t. I’d wake up and I was good and I was still getting dressed up for work and I’d find another client. Life is like that. But cancer is different. You can’t rewrite the script. You can’t go back or change course and not have the cancer. I still face health challenges but make every day a good one. So my journey now is this. My journey is to be the same person I’ve always been, with dignity, and now to help others through this journey. I think what cancer has done for me, is to allow me to be myself but only better.

Your moustache makes a difference

(Movember Foundation, Ron Telpner: I Survived Prostate Cancer)

Prostate Cancer Canada, the London Health Sciences Centre,  and Kids Help Phone are some of Movember Canada’s partnering organizations and all three routinely receive gifts through our vehicle donation program.

If this is a cause that is meaningful to you, consider donating to the above, or to the Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Kids Cancer Care, or CancerCare Manitoba!

Incidentally, the successful auction sale of the Mercedes drew a donation of over$27,000.00 for Prostate Cancer Canada! Every vehicle counts when you donate for the cause you care about and we can’t wait to work with you for the charity you love.