The Prince Albert Mann Northway Northern Bears are honouring Bruce Vance (centre) with a third jersey. (Nolan Kowal/paNOW Staff)

By Nolan Kowal

Bruce almighty

Mann Northway Northern Bears to honour cancer survivor Vance

Sep 13, 2023 | 12:02 PM

To say Bruce Vance has beaten the odds would be an understatement.

The Prince Albert man is a cancer survivor, having overcome two tumours, multiple treatments, and a bleak diagnosis.

“I was diagnosed in 2013 with emergency colon surgery, they took a tumour out larger than a golf ball and 27 centimetres of my colon at that time,” said Vance. “I then went through radiations and chemo after, and by July of 2015 I was declared no evidence of disease.”

But unfortunately, Vance’s cancer returned in 2020 despite regular checkups. This time it was terminal Stage 4.

“I have undergone a total of 53 treatments over my journey and continue to battle with some other treatments right now,” Vance said. “But I’ve decided to discontinue chemotherapy at this time because the side effects after 53 treatments are just way too much on my body and I want to enjoy quality of life here.”

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Now, with the 2023-2024 hockey season about to get underway, the Prince Albert Mann Northway Northern Bears girl’s hockey team is honouring Vance with a third jersey. The team will wear it during their first game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 30.

A close up of the jersey honouring Vance. (Nolan Kowal/paNOW Staff)

“Totally humbled and honoured that the Bears organization would think of me and design this jersey and take part in the fundraising,” said Vance, who managed the Bears along with his wife from 2011 to 2015 while their daughter played on the team. “The Bears continue to be a stellar organization in the community and for them to recognize me is a very prestigious honour.”

During the Sept. 30 game, the jerseys will be auctioned off with the proceeds going towards the Victoria Hospital Foundation and the Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation.

“I saw numerous people from Prince Albert in my time in the Saskatoon clinic, and I wore those blankets and sat in those chairs that need to be replaced eventually,” Vance said. “And then the local unit that is very very busy unfortunately as well… every Monday to Friday, they need supplies as well.”

“And to look to the future, and to get a bigger and better clinic, and to keep people in P.A. for the treatments is very important, and that’s very important to me. And something I can see and feel and touch is special to make sure this fundraiser goes well.”

Vance was impressed with the design of the jersey.

“It is so nice. It’s beautiful how they’ve got the colon cancer colour, the dark blue with the ribbon, the bears holding the ribbon. And Team Bruce, it’s just so special of a design. And of course, the orange stands out a mile away. It’s a very striking design and I think they’ll be hot items for the auction,” he said.

A decade after his initial diagnosis, Vance is still here and looking ahead to more years.

“Still going…so the initial diagnosis in August of 2020, the doctor said you’ve got 24 to 28 months,” he said. “We’re over a year plus on that, a couple years plus, so looking forward to more time.”

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nolan.kowal@pattisonmedia.com