The ninth annual Bryan Mudryk Golf Classic is right around the corner.
Of course, you don’t need to tell that to the man himself.
“I’m really excited. I always get excited this time of year,” said the native of Boyle, on the line from his apartment in Toronto where he brings the latest sporting news to viewers across Canada as an anchor on TSN’s Sportscentre.
Locally, of course, Mudryk is known for far more than his ability to deliver the day’s sports news to millions of viewers. Born in Athabasca and raised in Boyle, he was already on his way to a bright future in journalism when, at age 20, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and forced to fight for his life.
A long, arduous journey followed, during which Mudryk spent a considerable amount of time being treated at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) in Edmonton. It’s where he faced his darkest hours after his cancer, originally discovered in 1998, relapsed in 2000. And it’s the place that ultimately saved his life.
Cancer-free by 2003, Mudryk was ready to move on with his life and career, but he wasn’t about to forget the institute and the people who helped him so much during his time of need.
Thus, the Golf Classic was born.
In its first eight years of existence, the event has raised nearly $500,000 in support of CCI. Last year the drive raised $80,000 and this year’s goal is to reach a total of $100,000. The Mudryk Classic is teaming with other charitable organizations to buy the Institute a PET/CT scanner, at a cost of $4.8 million. It would be the first scanner of its kind in Canada, able to take high-resolution images and detect cancer at its earliest stages.
“It’s certainly rewarding to give that much money. It makes a world of difference, and it’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “It’s a real credit to the Boyle and Athabasca surrounding community. For a small town to raise that much is pretty phenomenal.”
Though Mudryk himself has played a large part in the event over the years, so have members of his family and countless volunteers, without whom he is certain there would have been no such success.
“The first two years it was certainly a big undertaking and a lot of work, but as time has gone on, volunteers have come back,” he said. “We have 40-plus volunteers that come back every year and pitch in no matter what. There’s certainly an army of people behind it. It takes a lot more than just me.”
This year’s Classic is slated for June 18 at Skeleton Lake Golf Club in Boyle. Two ancillary events, the Battle of the Paddle and the United Cycle to Boyle are even closer, as both will be held on June 4.
More than anything, Mudryk is looking forward to coming home, seeing some familiar faces, and raising some more money for a very worthy cause.
“When it’s about a month away, I get a bit of a buzz. I get excited to come home. I’d better have my golf game in shape.”
For more on the event or to make a donation, visit www.bryanmudrykgolfclassic.com.
