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SYDNEY, N.S. —

Sam Gracie is fast becoming the face of the local Because You Care Cup.

For the third consecutive year, a team organized by the 12-year-old was recognized for raising the most money in the Cape Breton Hospital Foundation fund-raising event.

Gracie and his Hattie Heroes teammates raised more than $17,000 for the sixth annual road hockey tournament that this year raised a total of $62,929, funds that will be used for the new Cancer Centre. Hattie Heroes’ Bodie MacDougall was named top individual fundraiser.

“My mom had cancer, so I know how important it is to keep people at home for their cancer care,” he said. “I was so lucky to mom here when she went through it, I want that for other kids, too.”

The annual event has raised more than $450,000 over its six-year history.

According to even co-chair Everett Reid, the funds will be well invested in the new cancer centre that is expected to treat more than 150 patients per day.

“We offer kids and adults alike an opportunity to have fun, while enhancing the way we treat cancer in Cape Breton,” said Reid.

The sixth annual Because You Care Cup wrapped up Sunday in Membertou. Front row, from left, are Paige McDonald, Jake McDonald, Liv McDonald, Brad Jacobs, Janelle Aucoin, Cheryl Marsh and Natasha Kochhar. Back row, from left, are Jeff McDonald, Stan MacDonald, Tanya Gracie, Gerard McPhee, Everett Reid, Dave Curnew, Petra Buis, Lenus Samson and Shane Marks.

And foundation CEO Brad Jacobs said the new cancer centre will re-define cancer care in Cape Breton. He points out that the current centre that was built over 20 years ago receives more than 40,000 visits annually although it was designed for 16,000 visits per year.

“We are excited about the future of healthcare in Cape Breton, and we are heavily invested in making a significant financial contribution towards building Cape Breton’s new cancer centre,” said Jacobs.

“The Because You Care Cup is taking us one step further to making the new cancer centre a reality here at home.”

Forty-seven teams took part in this year’s tournament that was held in Membertou.

The winners of the tournament portion of the event are as follows:

Youth Under 11 – County Young Guns

Youth Under 14 – Grinders

Youth Under 18 – Screaming Eagles

Women’s – Honey Badgers

Men’s — Manland Marauders

Corporate – Coast Guard 1

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