Registration open for 2025 Bluey Day

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Registration is open for the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation’s annual cancer support fundraiser.

Bluey Day is being held on May 24th at Centennial Park. 

The annual event sees residents sign up and collect donations to have their heads shaved on stage at the park.

“It was established in, I believe, 1999,” explains executive director Kelly Amboe. “Each year, we ask participants to sign up, be brave and shave, and in doing so, they collect donations throughout the community from their family and friends, all in support of our Cancer Diagnostic and Treatment Fund.”

According to Amboe, the hospital foundation hopes to raise $100,000 each year. 

“We tend to keep it at that limit,” she says. “Some years we blow past it, and other years, not so much. Last year, we did exceed our goal and we raised $125,000.”

That money went towards buying an MRI body coil, a specialized piece of imaging technology to help with early cancer detection.

Amboe says all the donations collected at this year’s event will go towards buying new chairs for the Community Cancer Centre.

“These new chairs will offer improved comfort and ease-of-use,” she explains. “Each of these chairs will be electronic recliners that will offer patients the ability to control their own comfort in their weakened states.”

The hospital is asking for participants to sign up by April 14th. However, Amboe says new participants will be accepted right up to the day of the event itself.

“We welcome all participants,” she says. “In 2023, we had four individuals join us on the day of Bluey Day, and they were like, ‘I want to be a part of this event’, and they got up front and got their heads shaved, and it was wonderful to have them be part of the event.”

For people who aren’t interested in participating or donating, the foundation is also recruiting volunteers to help run the event.

“This has just been a long-running campaign, and we are very grateful for the community’s continued support,” Amboe adds.

Prospective volunteers can email the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation to learn more.