Each year, the Brind’Amour/Nugent-Hopkins Cystic Fibrosis Golf Classic raises a huge amount of money to help people suffering with this debilitating respiratory disease.
The tournament has raised somewhere around $1.5-million to go towards research and treatment for those dealing with the most fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children. Cystic Fibrosis Canada estimates that one in every 3,600 children born in this country has CF and more than 4,000 attend specialized CF clinics across the country.
The Campbell River tournament was the Rod Brind’Amour Golf Classic until 2015, when Rod was joined by the young Edmonton Oilers hockey phenom, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
“But my name is still going on top,” Brind’Amour joked at the 2015 gala, when Nugent-Hopkins was added as co-host.
Each year, the 155 spots available for the tournament sell out early. The community knows what this tournament is all about by now, and is happy to be a part of it.
Grant Stewart, who has served on the organizing committee of the event for over 20 years, says he’s always blown away by the support the tournament receives, from the registration selling out almost as soon as the date is announced to the donations of auction items, prizes and on-course activities on the day. But the goal is still the same.
They’re after a cure.
“I didn’t think we’d still be here doing this 20 years later,” says Kim Wood, whose letter to Brind’Amour over 20 years ago now spurred him to take up the cause. “I thought we’d have a cure.”
Find out more about cystic fibrosis at cysticfibrosis.ca