Comedy and cancer aren't exactly natural bedfellows.
But laughing in the face of the disease might just be a good way to fundraise - or at least the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (ORCF) thinks so.
To that end, the ORCF is organizing a comedy night with a unique twist. Headlined by Shaun Majumder at the National Arts Centre, the event will be made up of five comedy sets, each with one professional comedian (The Pro) followed by an act from a regular person who thinks they have what it takes (The Joe). The Pros will train the Joes, honing their comedic chops for the evening over the preceding weeks.
"I think we all need to laugh," said Michael Maidment, president of the ORCF, on The Sam Laprade Show. "Cancer is a very serious subject, but we want to have fun."
All proceeds from the event go to the newly launched Community Cancer Hub, a "one-stop portal for cancer patients in Eastern Ontario," connecting those diagnosed with the disease to services within their community and helping them navigate the system.
"This community hub is all about supporting cancer patients with information about where to go, what their treatment looks like, supporting them with anxiety, with mental health, with wellness, nutrition. All the things that they need to do to be successful in their journey with cancer," said Maidment.
The pandemic took our attention away from cancer, leading to severe consequences. With fewer regular appointments with doctors and less access to oncologists, cases which would have been caught in the earlier stages during normal times have now progressed to later stages.
"There are a lot of people coming forward with cancer cases as the pandemic is winding down, and those cases are actually more significant, more progressed," Maidment said. "So that's what we're dealing with now."
The comedy night is taking place on Tuesday, March 28. Tickets are currently available through the ORCF website and includes one cocktail and a charitable tax receipt.
Listen to the full interview with Michael Maidment on The Sam Laprade Show below.
