My less-than-athletic self has joined Kate's Pirates of the Nether regions team to partake in this year's Underwear Affair and raise money to find a cure for cancers below the waist! On July 9th we will be running through the streets of Vancouver in our underwear - not only underwear, but pirate themed underwear! While our friends on the team run 10km, I will be walking 5km with my oldest friend Kate's mom Rochelle.

Growing up with Kate from the age of three, I have known her parents, Wade and Rochelle, since as long as I can remember. Another milestone in our history as friends, unlike graduation or birthdays, occurred in 2008 - Wade's celebration of life. Kate lost her dad to prostate cancer when she was in Grade 11. The following year her mom Rochelle was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and started chemo therapy.

Thankfully today Rochelle's cancer is in remission, but we can never be sure that it won't come back. It seems that today no one can escape being affected by cancer whether personally, through friends and family, or having to watch their friends lose their loved ones.

I dream that one day I will never have to watch another friend go through what Kate has these past few years. So many people are affected by cancer nowadays that it should be in our greatest interests to do what we can to find a cure; and find a guarantee that those we love, or for that matter ourselves, will never fall victim to cancer.

Donate anything you can today and help be the difference; to bring an end to the hurt caused by cancers below the waist.