Students, staff, and families at John Diefenbaker Senior School in Hanover, Ontario, are preparing to host an all-day Relay for Life event on Friday, May 22, 2026. The fundraising initiative supports the Canadian Cancer Society as part of a collective effort to raise money for cancer research.
Located at 201 18th Avenue, the school serves approximately 795 students from Grades 7 to 12. The event is the latest effort from the school community, which operates under the Bluewater District School Board, to support cancer-related causes. In previous years, the school established a history of student-led fundraising, including the participation of a team known as the JDSS Flying Purple People Eaters in the 2025 event.
Beyond the relay, the school maintains a long-standing commitment to community fundraising. Since 1995, the school has participated in the Terry Fox School Runs every year, raising a total of $17,512.37. Their highest single-year contribution to the Terry Fox Foundation reached $2,620.25 in 2020.
The upcoming event joins a larger national movement. In 2025, the Relay for Life program saw 250 schools across the country raise over $10 million, with more than 60,000 participants involved in the initiative.
