TORONTO, Canada (CMC):
Former West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite will be one of a plethora of international stars who will headline the inaugural Princess Margaret Cricket to Conquer Cancer “dawn-to-dusk” street cricket event scheduled for May next year.
The initiative, unveiled here yesterday by the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, is expected to be the largest of its kind in the country, bringing together celebrities to raise funds for cancer research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
Organisers also said that with cricket being used as the vehicle, they expected the event to also “foster a sense of community”.
The 35-year-old Brathwaite, who led West Indies in 30 of his 41 T20 Internationals, said he hoped to play his part in ensuring that the event was a success.
“I am thrilled to witness cricket’s growing popularity in Canada – a testament to its welcoming and multicultural community. It truly is a global sport,” said Brathwaite, who now plies his trade on the lucrative T20 franchise circuit.
CANCER TREATMENT
“We all have a personal connection to cancer, me included. One thing that kept my mum going through her cancer treatment was her constant smile and positive outlook.
“I look forward to making this event a celebration for survivors and an inspiration for all those during their journey.”
Brathwaite has, in the past, opened up about the experience of his mother Joycelyn’s battle with breast cancer, speaking extensively ahead of Jane McGrath Day of the Sydney Test on the Caribbean side’s 2016 tour of Australia.
McGrath, the wife of Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath, died of cancer in 2008.
Dr Amit Oza, the head of the Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, said he expected the event to have a lasting impact on cancer research and also the sport.
“The effects from this fundraiser will know no bounds,” Oza said.
“Funds raised by our passionate community of participants help lead to the breakthroughs that will help patients here in Canada and around the world.
“As a cricket enthusiast myself, I am delighted we can celebrate this amazing sport while creating a global impact on cancer research.”
According to Canadian government health statistics, cancer has remained the leading cause of death in the country.
The street cricket event takes place on May 31, 2025, in Mississauga.