CBU student wins vehicle lottery in support of cancer care

SYDNEY, N.S – Lakhveer Singh Rupal will drive away with a 2021 Colbourne Custom Bronco, after winning the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation’s first ever vehicle lottery.

The grand prize draw took place on July 19, 2022, at Colbourne Ford.

“Thank you to the CBRH Foundation and Colbourne Ford for organizing this event,” Singh Rupal commented on Facebook. “You made my day. This is a wonderful island with beautiful people… thank you all. I was a firm believer about the fairness of Canadian people, and here I won first prize. This can only happen in Canada.”

Lakhveer says he split the ticket with his friend, Ashok Kumar Maurya. Both friends were practicing pharmacists in India and have recently began studying healthcare management at Cape Breton University.

Launched on May 10, 2022, the Foundation’s lottery included an early bird prize of two tickets anywhere Westjet flies, and secondary prizes including a 55” Samsung TV donated by Schwartz Furniture, and two stand up paddleboards.

All proceeds from ticket sales support the Foundation’s largest capital campaign to-date, the Cancer Care Here at Home campaign.

“We launched with certain goals in mind,” says Paula MacNeil, Foundation CEO. “The excitement, support, and generosity from our community for this initiative has been incredibly heartwarming, and we are thrilled to say we have surpassed our sales goal.”

‘Win a Bronco’ ticket sales resulted in $139,370, bringing the Cancer Care Here at Home campaign total to $8.5 million of its $10 million goal.

Funds raised will support the purchase of vital equipment, and fund patient programming, research, and innovation, to take place within Cape Breton’s new Cancer Centre.

“The current Cape Breton Cancer Centre sees more than 45,000 patient visits each year – a number that has tripled since the Centre first opened in 1998,” said Stan MacDonald, Board Chair, during the grand prize draw.

“I myself was one of those 45,000 visits. And although I live just a few kilometers from the Cape Breton Cancer Centre, I remember feeling each and every bump in the road during the drive to my treatments. It was a true comfort and enormous help in my fight, to be able to go home to my family, to be in my own bed, and return to some normalcy, during a very challenging time. So, I extend my deepest thanks to all of those who purchased tickets in support of cancer care, here at home.”

To learn more about or support the Cancer Care Here at Home campaign, visit cancercarehereathome.ca.