Dancing with the Docs to Hit the Dance Floor in Thunder Bay
This spring, Thunder Bay doctors will be trading their stethoscopes for dancing shoes. Local physicians will hit the stage and compete for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy at the first annual Dancing with the Docs fundraiser in support of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation's Northern Cancer Fund. This new signature event will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, 2020, at the Valhalla Inn Ballroom. 
Dancing with the Docs, presented by TD Bank Group, is being lead by local teacher Patricia Del Paggio and her brother, Dr. Joseph Del Paggio. The siblings created the event in loving memory of their mother Nikki Del Paggio, who passed away from lymphoma in 2019. Nikki was a valued employee of TD Bank for over 35 years, so they are honoured to have TD Bank Group as the title sponsor. As Patricia explains, “Our mother was the center of our family. We want to honour her life and her legacy, and feel that giving back to our community - to the cancer center in particular - to help improve care for other people facing this disease is the best way to achieve this goal”. All funds raised from Dancing with the Docs will support the purchase of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “PET scanning plays a pivotal role in understanding the extent of many cancers, and can help to clarify how we really should be treating certain individuals. The necessity for this imaging test only continues to increase in many types of cancers. The wait time, however, can be significant. Purchasing a new scanner will invariably allow for more timely access to this test, which may positively influence a patient’s disease course and potentially their outcome,” explains Dr. Joseph Del Paggio, a Medical Oncologist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Eight Docs have been paired up with skilled dancers from within the community and have been given specific dance styles and songs. Under the direction of Carla Crupi, docs and dancers have been hard at work perfecting their moves at Studio One. Attendees can expect to see everything from Swing dancing to Salsa, on the floor. Participating Docs include: Dr. Alyson Dykstra with Daniel Stilla Dr. Chris Francis with Harmony Appell Dr. Bradley Jacobson with Marnie Merchant Dr. Stewart Kennedywith Dr. Alea Crupi Dr. Olga Kisselgoff with Karim Coluccio Dr. Gabriel Mapeso with Jacqueline Marsh Dr. Mario Nucci with Maeghan Tofinetti Dr. Kathy Simpson with Jacob Gazzola The event is Sold Out, however, the community is still encouraged to support Dancing with the Docs by donating to their favourite dance duo: www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/donatewtd. The team who raises the most funding, will be awarded additional points towards their final score in their quest for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy. “I decided to participate in this event in order to honour Nikki, who I came to know very well through her journey with cancer,” says Dr. Kathy Simpson. Dr. Mario Nucci notes that his motivation to participate is due to his desire “give back to his community and to support local cancer initiatives”. All performances will be judged by a panel of ballroom experts and familiar faces, who will determine the winning couple. Audience members will also get to have their say and participate in a live online vote after each performance. A combination of the judges’ and audience scores will determine the Mirror Ball Champions. Doctors also have the opportunity to raise funds leading up to the event and score extra points. You can support your favourite dance couple by visiting: www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/donatewtd The team who raises the most will be awarded additional points towards their final score on the night of the event. Dancing with the Docs will also feature live performances by renowned musician Danny Johnson, a cocktail reception, silent auction and a four-course meal. “Expect a spectacle—we are going to make this event a night to remember! The support we’ve already received from thecommunity has been overwhelming and we are very appreciative. We are so happy to have the opportunity to honour our mothers’ legacy by >improving the delivery of cancer care in our community,” continued Patricia Del Paggio. >
