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Mercers cap last Ride for Riley with big time donation

By Craig Westcot/September 23, 2022

It was their last formal donation from the Ride for Riley fundraiser in aid of children with cancer, but as usual it was a big one and it left the representatives of the Dr. Jack Hand Legacy Foundation smiling with gratitude.

Thanks to efforts rallying motorcycle enthusiasts, corporate sponsors and other well wishers, Bernard and Louise Mercer raised some $23,701 at the tenth and final Ride for Riley this year. The Mercers, who lost both their daughter Alex and their son Riley to brain cancer, presented a cheque for that amount to Tina Hand and Bob Hand, the wife and brother respectively of the late Dr. Jack Hand, a well-loved and respected pediatric hemotologist and oncologist at the Janeway Children’s Hospital who himself died of brain cancer in 2012.

The latest donation brings the Mercers’ efforts in support of the foundation to some $175,000 over the past decade.

“It’s amazing,” said Bob Hand.

“The money will be used for everything from bus fare to bring a mom and a child to town for treatment, to gas, to medications, to wigs, travel, and household expenses,” said Tina Hand. “Lots of times, mom or dad has to take time away from work or even quit their job, depending on the diagnosis.”

“We can’t pay their salaries, but we’ll pay the expenses,” added Bob.

He agreed the Mercers have built a foundation under the Foundation thanks to their fund raising.

“We’ve been on board since day one,” said Louise Mercer. “Before the foundation started, we had our first year (fundraising) and we really didn’t know where to put the money. And then by the time our second year came around, we said we’ve got a place for that.”

The Dr. Jack Hand Foundation started in 2014, two years after its namesake was lost to brain cancer.

Some $3,000 of this year’s donation was raised at a washer tournament, the rest from the motorcycle ride. Hugh logistics and planning are involved in both events.

“It’s a lot of work,” Louise conceded.

“It is,” agreed Bernie. “It’s exhausting, it’s that hard.”

“This is our last year for the bike ride, but we’re going to fundraise, and sell our tickets,” Louise added. “And we’re still going to have our washer tournament, which is getting bigger each year. So, we should still be able to do close to $15,000 each year.”

The washer tournament is held every summer at the Irish Loop Resort on the Salmonier Line where the Mercers like to camp. “It’s our home away from home,” said Louise.

Some 96 people played in the washer tournament this summer, Bernie noted. “And it just goes off like clockwork,” he said. “Everything we do is all done by volunteers. We put off the events, but if people didn’t come out and contribute to our events, it wouldn’t beneficial. But people are behind us 100 per cent, no matter what we put off.”

While they are retiring the Ride for Riley fundraiser, the Mercers plans to continue with the other fundraisers they’ve created in their children’s memory, including the Christmas Toy Drive and the annual food and fund raiser for the CBS – Paradise Community Food Bank. They’re particularly looking forward to this Christmas event because everyone is expected to be back in the church in Long Pond after two years of doing it without the public on hand because of Covid.

“We still had two exceptional years, and it gets a little bigger each year,” said Louise.

“We’d certainly like to thank these guys for their efforts over the last 10 years,” said Hand. “It’s been amazing.”

“We’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Louise.

“Our biggest thing is to keep Alex’s and Riley’s spirits and memories alive here in CBS,” said Bernie. “That’s our biggest thing. People ask, ‘How do you do it? How do you get out of bed every morning and put your boots and do what you’ve got to do?’ This is what does it for us. Paying it forward in their names and everybody coming out and supporting what we do.”

Hand noted that at many of the foundation’s events, families who have children with cancer come forward to thank the Mercers for their help.

“When we were going through it, we never had this charity,” said Louise. “It was friends who raised funds for us, and the schools. This wasn’t there when Alex and Riley were sick.”

Bernie said a great positive of donating to the Dr. Jack Hand Foundation is that none of the money is used to pay staff or office expenses or other overhead. “A hundred percent of this money goes back to Newfoundland and Labrador families,” he said.

“That’s what Jack was all about,” said his brother.

“And that’s a big thing too, for us to be able to say a hundred per cent of that stays here,” said Bernie. “It goes right back to the kids where it’s needed… When they are going through the situation they are going through with a cancer issue, monetary concerns are the last thing that you want to have to worry about. And this foundation hopefully alleviates some of that.”

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