Daily workout in memory of Mom

For the second May running, a Langley man worked out each day of the month in memory of his mother.

It was Mohammad Shahid’s way of paying tribute to his late parent and raising money for a cause close to her heart.

His mom, Sajida, faced breast and lung cancer for a decade before passing at age 55, in 2021.

The 34-year-old Willoughby resident said it was her active lifestyle that inspired him to first join the Workout to Conquer Cancer fundraiser in 2022.

“She always took the time to go for a walk. Even when she was going through breast cancer treatment she was actually still going to the gym,” he recounted.

Participating in the cancer workout has also been a way to show his gratitude for the kindness and compassion shown to his family during his mom’s long cancer journey received at BC Cancer – Surrey, said Mohammad.

“At the end, my mom was at the hospital and we got the call to come by and say our finals,” recalled Mohammad, who adds that even though his mom had difficulty communicating she made it clear she wanted to speak to her oncologist, Dr. Lee Ann Martin.

“I asked the nurse to call Dr. Martin and she came up and had a quick conversation with my mom. That just tells you how close they had become, even in her last few hours my mom wanted to say goodbye to the doctor who took care of her for 10 years.”

Last year, Mohammad raised more than $1,500 to support research at BC Cancer, joined last year by his sister in Toronto, as well as his wife.

This year, Mohammad exceeded that, raising $1,800 by hitting the gym, practising yoga, running, and finding other fun ways to stay active – including playing in the park with their 16-month-old son – throughout last month. Once again, Mohammad’s wife was also a big part of this year’s workouts.

“Playing with my son and playing basketball was the most fun,” he shared, noting he remained active for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, as recommended.

“This is my regular routine throughout the year. I try and stay active as much as I can. During the summer, instead of playing basketball, I play softball as part of a coed recreational team,” he said, noting he “certainly” plans to do it again next year but push up the fundraising goal to $2,000.

Mohammad was one of 1,452 participants who joined the challenge and moved each day for cancer patients in B.C. during the month.

While donations are still coming in, the program raised in excess of $755,000, which makes a difference for every family member, friend, every patient, and every survivor affected by this disease, he concurred.

BC Cancer Foundation indicates that every dollar raised stays right here in British Columbia to fuel life-saving research and enhancements to patient care during this challenging time.

Online donations will be accepted until Friday, June 30.

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