Rock Holt Annual Mixed Tournament

For 18 years now, the Annual Mixed Tournament has been part of a great summer tradition in the city of Deux-Montagnes. From August 8 – 10 2008, scores of volunteer players will generously contribute their time, their talent, and their enthusiasm for an outstanding cause: Cancer care and research. All proceeds raised from this year’s tournament will benefit the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program (AYA) at the McGill University Health Center in Montreal.

For many, this event is of special significance. For the fourth time, it will be played as a charity fundraiser that has been dedicated to the memory of Rock Holt, a 23 year-old softball enthusiast who passed away in 2004 after a long battle with cancer. It is for him, and thousands of young Canadians who are touched by this disease each year, for which the players and their supporters will step up to the plate.

Initiated in March 2003 by Dr. Petr Kavan, this innovative program addresses the unique needs of cancer patients between 18 and 29 years of age. It is the first of its kind in Canada to offer a distinctive treatment approach to this particular age group, whose experience with the disease is often markedly different from their older counterparts. Today, the program has about 60 patients, some 20 of whom are currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Rock Holt was one of Dr. Kavan's first patients at the AYA Clinic. Diagnosed with cancer when he was only 15 years old, Rock underwent a rigorous and exhausting treatment regime that included surgeries, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and stem cell transplants. Nevertheless, the cancer proceeded to spread throughout his body. After a prolonged and courageous fight, he succumbed to the disease in the fall of 2004. He was 23.

Softball was a lifelong passion for Rock. In previous years, he participated in the Annual Mixed Tournament not only as a player but also as an organizer. In honour of his contributions, this year's organizers hope to raise $10,000 to benefit the AYA Program and help it continue its fight against a disease that touches the lives of thousands of young Canadians each year.