TIMELINE OF GARY’S WALK

Gary starts to suffer from back pain symptoms.

Gary is diagnosed with esophageal cancer four months later by Dr. Brock Pullen at Royal Columbian Hospital.

Gary Smith passes away.

Gary was inducted into the British Columbia Basketball Hall of Fame

A memorial bench was installed in the park, and April 25th marked the First Annual Walk at Minnekhada.

An article about Gary and the walk was included in the Royal Columbian insert in the Vancouver Sun paper.

An article about Gary’s Walk was published in the local paper. Royal Columbian Hospital, in collaboration with Fraser Health, released a pamphlet titled What You Need to Know About Esophageal Cancer, featuring Gary’s story on the back. The pamphlet was distributed to medical offices across BC. On April 17th, the Second Annual Walk at Minnekhada took place.

Over $27,000 was raised and will go towards the purchase of gastroscope in the future to detect cancer at the Royal Columbian Hospital.

Cliff Blank created a website and Facebook page to support the cause. On May 2, 2012, Global News interviewed the Smith family and featured their story in a Health Headlines segment on heartburn. Just a few days later, on May 6th, the Third Annual Walk at Minnekhada took place.

June 7th 2012 another $11,929.00 was given to Royal Columbian Hospital. More money that will be put towards the purchase of a gastroscopic radial ultrasound scope in the future

April 28th 2013 the Fourth Annual Walk at Minnekhada.

Over the last four years over $40,000 was raised for equipment that would detect cancer at RCH.

A new e-newsletter was created by Cliff Blank to invite guests to the walk and inform them of where previous donations have gone. Gary’swalk was also created on Twitter by Cliff Blank

April 27th 2014 the Fifth Annual Walk at Minnekhada.

Up until this point $65,692 has been raised for awareness and screening of esophageal cancer at RCH. In August 2014 2 gastroscopes were purchased for $46,133.00

April 26th 2015 was the Sixth Annual Walk at Minnekhada. Article published in The Province local paper about Gary’s Walk. It was titled ‘Family Fights Back Against Cancer’.

Article published about the walk in the ‘Health Matter’ RCH foundation Magazine Fall 2015 Edition.

A billboard advertising the walk has been set up outside the Royal Columbian Hospital. April 24th the Seventh Annual Walk at Minnekhada.

By this time, over $90,000 had been raised, with $38,121.09 used to purchase a third scope for RCH. This thin transnasal scope, less than half the size of a conventional EGD scope, helps detect esophageal masses that a regular scope might miss.

April 30th 2017 was the Eighth Annual Walk at Minnkhada.

And three scopes purchased for RCH.

RCH created a new donation page for Gary’s Walk, and with the help of Cliff Blank, the walk was also added to Instagram. Photos from the 9th Annual Walk will be shared there. In 2017, the Smiths participated in a new photo shoot to update RCH images, including Blake and Kaitlyn Vander Helm. In April 2018, one of these photos was featured on a billboard outside Royal Columbian Hospital.

April 29th 2018 the Ninth Annual Walk at Minnekhada.

The walk was on April 29th 2019. We raised $9,165.00 last year and over $100,00 in total up to this point.

Click the link on the main page to view photos of the scopes purchased for RCH with donations from Gary’s Walk. The 11th Annual Walk is set for April 26, 2020. To date, $121,112 has been raised.

For April 2022, we’ve decided to host another virtual walk to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.

A virtual walk is just like a real walk—only on your terms! You choose the course, the start time, and your walking companions. The steps are real; the community is virtual.

We encourage you to share photos of your walk or any activities in memory of Gary Smith.

Donating to Gary’s Walk remains the same—simply visit the RCH Foundation or click the link on our website. So far, we’ve raised $133,000!

For April 2022, we’ve chosen to hold another virtual walk to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.

A virtual walk is just like a real walk—but on your terms! You pick the route, the start time, and your walking companions. The steps are real; the community is virtual.

We’d love for you to share photos of your walk or any activities honoring Gary Smith.

Donating to Gary’s Walk is easy—simply visit the RCH Foundation or click the link on our website. So far, an incredible $133,000 has been raised!

In 2021, RCH purchased an Olympus ESG300 with the generosity of Gary’s Walk supporters. This system is the latest generation of electrosurgical devices designed exclusively for GI and pulmonary, and includes all of the modes and settings required by physicians performing advanced therapeutic procedures including those that may require argon plasma coagulation (APC).

We visited RCH in August 2022 to see the latest machine that has been purchased and talk with Dr. Atkinson to learn about how it will be used. (pictures on ‘Donation Dollars at Work’ page) AND we are back on for the Walk this year!! On Sunday April 30th 2023 we are walking in Gary’s name again!

April 28th 2024 is the fifteenth year we will be walking in Gary’s name to raise funds for awareness and equipment to detect Esophageal Cancer. We have been very lucky to have a new graphics designer helping us out! Thank you Kristen Lilian from Spirit and Spark.

Another great year! New total of $149,042.00 has been raised. Thank you to everyone who came out in the rain to support and who donated!

Article written by RCH

Sunday April 27th 2025 is the sixteenth year we will be walking in Gary’s name to raise funds for awareness and equipment to detect Esophageal Cancer. The walk will take place at Minnekhada Regional Park from 9:00am-1:00pm.

Nicky and Shawna had a tour of the new RCH building. We learned about the 4 year plan to update the Gastroenterology Unit in the old building.