Mr. Speaker, in June 2004, former Argonaut Dick Aldridge suddenly passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63. His wife, Betty Aldridge, a constituent and local councillor in my riding of Simcoe--Grey, created the Dick Aldridge Pancreatic Cancer Foundation to further the awareness of funding for pancreatic cancer research. On July 25, Betty will host the second annual Dick Aldridge golf classic and hopes to surpass the $50,000 raised in last year's tournament.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of death related to cancer, both for men and for women, in Canada and the U.S.A. The disease is not only common but extremely difficult to treat. For these and other reasons, cancer of the pancreas has been called the challenge of the 21st century.
That is why it is important we raise awareness of this deadly disease. In commemoration of Dick Aldridge, I would like to designate the month of November as national pancreatic cancer awareness month. Through prevention and research, we will find a cure.