PHOTO GALLERY: Ballin' for the Cure Basketball Tournament Raises $6780

The Ballin' for the Cure CancerCare Basketball Tournament organizers Donovan Gayle, Shaneil Lawrence, Sela Andu and Kyle Vince have announced that the fourth annual tournament has raised $6780.00 for CancerCare Manitoba and new scholarship program.  The 14 team men's tournament which ran in late August at the University of Winnipeg has now, since its inception in 2014, has now raised $20,289.  The University of Winnipeg Wesmen team (pictured above) won the D1 Tournament with the Warriors winning the D2 Division.

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A new initiative from this year's event will see the creation of three, $1000 scholarships which will be presented to deserving grade 12 basketball players at the 2018 Basketball Manitoba Awards this April.  Details on the new scholarship will be announced in early 2018.

100% of all team fees were donated directly to the cause with the venue being graciously donated by the University of Winnipeg and all MABO referees volunteering their time to work the games.  Basketball Manitoba was able to insure all participants for the weekend and aided with promotional and operational support.

Tourney organizers Sela, Shaneil
and Donovan

Donovan, Shaneil, Sela and Kyle would like to thank all the supporters of the event including the volunteers who helped with score keeping, collecting donations at the door along with Chino Argueta at the University of Winnipeg, Wes Crymble and Mike Maryk at MABO and Adam Wedlake and Basketball Manitoba for all their support.  Thanks to DJ Jamil for donating his time by providing entertainment during the tournament!

The referees who donated their time to work the event included...

• Sean Woloski
• Jeff Mayo
• Phil Sam
• Mike Maryk
• Jim Boyd
• Mike Nazar
• Bob Kuz
• Jamie Bernard
• Mike Myall
• Dan Kinaschuk
• Chris Bell
• Evan Victoruk
• Earl Roberts
• Jason Glowasky
• Wyatt Anders
• Gary Young
• Syd Korsunsky
• Ben Szymkow
• Ron Guinto
• Arden Boville
• Min Lee
• Bill Harper

Huge thanks to the students at Stanley Knowles School who volunteered their time as scorekeepers and other helpers - Mumba, Milka, Eden, Kiesha, Sara, Tyler & Neequa, Kiannah, Jenna, Shayna, Allyza, Shen, Arra, and Anurit.

TOURNAMENT SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

Donovan commented...

• "I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of the players who participated and gave up their weekend to make the 4th annual “Balling for the Cure” Cancer Awareness basketball event a great success.  I could not have done this without all of your support and commitment to this cause which I hold very close to my heart, and for that I am truly grateful.  Your participation and involvement in this event has contributed to the cure and prevention of cancer, as well as improving the outcomes and quality of life for Manitobans with Leukemia.  Next year “Balling for the Cure” will be back and I look forward to hopefully seeing you all back on the court with me!"

Basketball Manitoba would like to thank Donovan, Shaneil, Sela and Kyle for all their time and dedication to this project!

The game results from the weekend have been updated below.

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You can still donate to the cause by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

Plans are already under way for next year's event which is expected to open up to even more teams. Basketball Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and MABO would like to offer our most sincere thanks to Donovan and all his efforts to get this event off the ground!

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Donovan Gayle, Shaneil Lawrence and Basketball Manitoba's 

Adam Wedlake present the $4650 to CancerCare Manitoba in 2015

Donovan's Story

Donovan Gayle’s life took a turn on June 9, 2013, that the former BU Bobcats player and assistant coach never expected.  Gayle, who was born in Jamaica and moved to Canada at the age of 16, found some blood in his saliva as he was finishing up playing a pick-up game of basketball. After going to a walk-in clinic the next day, the doctor said that it wasn't a chest infection, and that he should go to the emergency room to have some tests run. The tests resulted in Donovan being diagnosed with leukemia.

Basketball Manitoba's Adam Wedlake (left) along with Donovan Gayle
(right) present the $4650 to CancerCare Manitoba in 2015

When the doctor told him the news, Gayle says that he couldn't believe it. “I was like, ‘How is that possible? I’m a 32-year-old guy, very active, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink.”

Basketball Manitoba's Adam Wedlake (left) along with
Donovan Gayle (right) present the $3000 to CancerCare Manitoba in 2014

After another blood test in Winnipeg came back with the same result – acute leukemia, which requires aggressive treatment – Donovan stayed in the hospital for a month in order to start chemotherapy treatment immediately.  After leaving the hospital, another test was performed. It found that the cancer was not in remission, and he had to continue treatment at an out-patient clinic. Future rounds of treatment went much better, with little to no negative symptoms, allowing more treatments to be done in relatively rapid succession.

He was also told that he would require a bone marrow transplant. The first person they tested for a match was his sister. Fortunately, she was a match, saving Donovan from having to rely on the national blood bank. “Thank god for that,” he praises.







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