People we LOVE: Marc Michaels, Calgary radio show host
“Lots of people come from bad situations and instead of avoiding them, my mom would say that we should try to help them.”
Frances died of ovarian cancer at age 53 in 2007 – more than 10 years after her first bout of the disease. But her positive attitude and belief that people can overcome adversity have survived and thrived through her son Marc.
Like mother, like son…
Marc Michaels with his mother Frances Doudelet
and his daughter Mackenzie in 2006.
For the past five years, Marc, one of three hosts of the Morning Show on Calgary’s Virgin Radio 98.5 FM, has led the charge to raise awareness and funds to help overcome ovarian cancer, Canada’s most fatal women’s cancer. He has done so with great heart and with a tremendous sense of humour – both of which he believes his mother would appreciate.
Marc knows that Frances would be proud of his efforts on behalf of Ovarian Cancer Canada. “I think she would love it. I think she knows, and she’d be pretty happy with the money and awareness we’ve raised and the clever ways we have come up with to do it.”
Marc has interviewed women living with ovarian cancer and delivered information about the disease to a hard-to-reach younger population. He has emceed the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope and spoken tenderly about his mother. He has found tremendously creative methods to fundraise on air for his Walk team while working in Calgary and Edmonton.
“Marc has been by my side as an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Canada for the five years that I’ve worked here,” says Michelle Pilon, the charity’s Western Regional Manager. “We couldn’t begin to pay for the publicity Marc and Virgin Radio have given our cause. As a young man, he sets an example for people to talk about this disease and the impact it has on women and their families. His commitment and tenacity are admired by many.”
Marc vs. Fuzzy $10,000 Charity Challenge
Marc has won two $10,000 Charity Challenges sponsored by Virgin Radio in Calgary in 2009 and 2013. With wild abandon, he and co-host Fuzzy have participated in a series of whacky competitions to win the money for their charity of choice. The co-hosts have rivaled one another to see who could wear a bunny suit or rollerskate the longest. They have competed in a talent show during the Pride Festival, tested their comedic skills on stage and raced to see who could outrun a Calgary Police Service K9!
In the 2013 Charity Challenge, Marc and Fuzzy were tied after eight events, so their boss announced the tie-breaker would be a “kiss and make up” competition to see which co-host could last longer when they locked lips. They were stuck in the lip-lock for 2 hours and 20 minutes until Marc was declared victorious with a rock/paper/scissors side-challenge.
Through the Charity Challenges and his Walk teams in Calgary and Edmonton, to date Marc has helped to raise almost $45,000 for Ovarian Cancer Canada.
Marc presents “Marc vs. Fuzzy $10,000 Charity Challenge” cheque to Michelle Pilon, Ovarian Cancer Canada’s Western Regional Manager.
The $20,000 from the two Charity Challenges has been designated for supportive care for women living with ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer Canada used the funds from the first win to sponsor the Tapestry Retreat, a five-day retreat for women living with ovarian cancer, organized by the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary.
“When my mom had ovarian cancer, there wasn’t anything like that,” says Marc. “My mom never had anybody to talk to who was feeling the same feelings and who really understood the medical and emotional side of what she was going through. I can’t imagine the Charity Challenge funds going for anything better than that.”
Get creative for the cause
Marc advises others who fundraise for the cause year after year to find ways to be creative and engage people by making it fun. “The more money we get, the faster we get early detection, and hopefully one day we won’t have to meet in the park to walk – we can meet there to celebrate our success instead.”
For the 2013 Walk, Marc launched an on-air “trade up.” He started with a donated Jarome Inginla Calgary Flames jersey, which he traded to a listener for an engagement ring. Another listener took the engagement ring and gave Marc a Mustang convertible. Marc sold the Mustang for $5,000, which went to his Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope team.
Shortly after the Walk last September, Marc got married. When wedding guests clinked their glasses for the bride and groom to kiss, the couple obliged only after the guest made a donation to Ovarian Cancer Canada. “I was expecting change and the odd $5 bill here and there,” says Marc. “But people were dropping in $50 bills! Whoever came up with the biggest donation got to eat first – and one table came up with $400. We raised $1,860 for our Walk team at our wedding!”
What keeps Marc going strong for the cause after five years? “I think it’s almost therapeutic every year when I talk on radio about raising awareness and money. You get it off your chest and interview people who are going through the same thing. When Fuzzy and I hosted the Walk in September and you see the look on people’s faces…they are so happy that we are all involved. It’s just a huge payoff.”