My name is Matteo Tiralongo, and I am joining Sgt. Dayne Campbell’s team to raise money for Cops for Cancer. Sgt. Dayne is going to raise $50,000 and has already started to ride 7,000km across Canada! Because I am only 12 and not cop myself, I can not officially participate in the Tour de Coast 2024. I am however committing to ride 700km on my own time this summer with family and friends to raise money and awareness for Cops for Cancer.

Last year, I got involved with Cops for Cancer because I lost my aunt Mimi and my cousin Michael back-to-back very suddenly to cancer. I became really sad a lot of the time and I felt like none of my friends really understood how I felt so I felt alone and was easily distracted by my sad thoughts. One day, my mom and I were watching CP24, and they were covering The Big Shave. I decided that I would try to raise $500 to participate in the event so I could find a positive out of a very crappy situation. I ended up raising over $2,000 for Cops for Cancer and pediatric cancer research in honour of Mimi and Michael who were both teachers!

I will never forget what Constable Taryn and Allie from Cops for Cancer did for me last year by letting me be a part of so many events. They, and many other police officers I met along the way, made me feel like I was changing the world! The only thing I wasn’t able to do that they challenged me to do was get some other kids to shave their head and join the cause! That changes today! My little brother Luke has finally agreed to shave his head and be part of Cops for Cancer with me!

Luke will be getting his head shaved on Wednesday, June 12 at an event at Toronto Police Headquarters when Sgt. Dayne rides through Toronto on his ride across Canada! Please help Luke and I raise $1,200 ($500 for Luke’s head shave and $700 for me to ride 700kms this summer)!

Thanks for your support!