Harris Strong

In Memory of Capt. Gary Harris, Halifax Firefighter, Husband, Father, and Grandfather

On May 6th, 2026, our family lost our hero, Gary, to leukemia. Gary was a proud Halifax firefighter who dedicated his life to protecting others, ultimately losing his battle to an occupational cancer. He shared a deep passion for fighting this disease, proudly cycling together in the Halifax BMO Ride for Cancer in 2018 and 2019. Gary had the honour of being the event's inspirational speaker in 2018, and introduced his two time bone marrow donor to the other participants. 

On October 3, 2026,  family members and friends are getting back on our bikes to honour Gary's incredible legacy. Because this is officially the Grand Finale year for the Ride for Cancer, we want to show up bigger than ever to support life-changing local cancer care. Please consider donating to our team to help us finish what Gary started and smash our fundraising goal!

Nova Scotia has the highest cancer rates in Canada. Currently, 1 in 2 are diagnosed in their lifetime and 1 in 3 patients will not survive. That’s why our team is saddling up to help fund lifesaving, world-class cancer care for all Nova Scotians. 

The list of loved ones affected by cancer keeps growing, and so must our commitment to conquering it. This is our time to lead the charge and continue our journey to transform local cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre; for those we’ve lost, those currently facing cancer, and the 1 in 2 who will be diagnosed.  

That’s why funds raised by our 2026 BMO Ride for Cancer community will support the full spectrum of cancer care at the QEII — strengthening every stage of a patient’s journey at the region’s largest and most specialized cancer treatment hospital. This means funding cancer-fighting technology and treatment options like: 

• Best-in-class imaging to detect cancer earlier with greater accuracy, reduce scan times and cut wait times 

• Precision oncology tools to help tailor therapies to each patient’s unique genetics 

• Surgical robotics and innovation to enable less invasive procedures and faster recoveries 

• Digital tools that empower and support patients at home, removing location barriers between appointments 

With every dollar you donate, you’re bringing us closer to a future where these critical advancements WILL save and change the lives of Nova Scotians. We can’t do it without you! 

To learn more about the impact your generous donation will have, visit https://YourRideforCancer.ca/Impact.