Picture this: students voluntarily jumping into ice-cold water in November, not for a dare, but to save lives.

My name is Emily Roberts, and I am the Director of Charity and one of the organizers of this event.

This year, the UNBC JDC West team is partnering with the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to help fund an Endobronchial Ultrasound (E-BUS) for the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC). The E-BUS is essential for diagnosing and staging upper respiratory diseases, including lung cancer and esophageal cancer. 100% of the funds raised go directly to the EBUS.

Currently, patients in Northern BC must travel 10 hours to access this specialized procedure, which could mean the difference between early cancer detection and a late diagnosis. Bringing an E-BUS to our region means earlier diagnoses, faster treatment, and care that’s closer to home. Northern BC patients deserve the same access to life-saving diagnostics as everyone else, and the UNBC JDCW team is making it happen. No one should have to travel hundreds of kilometers for a diagnosis.

On November 22, starting at 2:30 PM at the CN center, the UNBC JDC West team will take the plunge into ice-cold water to support one of the coldest — and kindest — fundraisers of the year. With hearts full of purpose and courage to match, students, coaches, and faculty will jump into an icy pool of water dressed in fun and flamboyant costumes. Your on-site donations will add additional buckets of ice to the water!

To help support this goal, we are fundraising with participating businesses within the Prince George community until December 31st. If you would like more information on how to get involved, contact eroberts@unbc.ca or check out the UNBCJDCW Instagram for more information.

Every dollar and every donation make a real difference in access to healthcare, so while the water is chilly, our appreciation in this giving community is warm. Thank you for supporting and sharing this cause!