The intersection of Alta Vista Drive, Industrial Ave, and Riverside Drive is a lot more beautiful now that the 24th Cancer Survivors Park is located there.
In a touching ceremony, the park officially opened on 24 September, the day proclaimed as National Cancer Survivors Day in Ottawa. Worldwide Cancer Survivors Day is the first Sunday of June.
Charles Merovitz, Honorary Chair of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and the person who initiated the process of building a Cancer Survivors Park in the city, said the park is the joint effort of many people, volunteers, and donors.
As well as the architects of the park and representatives from the R&A Bloch Cancer Foundation such as Vangie Rich, executive director of the foundation, many cancer survivors attended the opening event along with relatives, friends, and supporters.
The cancer survivor’s parks, which can be found in many countries, are the realization of Richard and Annette Bloch’s dream of giving hope to people with cancer. Each park reminds us that “there is truly life after a diagnosis of cancer,” says Mrs. Bloch.
