Brian and Anita’s Story
Brian Millett’s legacy lives on in cancer patients across the region during cancer awareness month
Soon after Brian Millett was diagnosed with cancer he realized how fortunate he was. Not because of the diagnosis of course, though his cancer would go on to be treated successfully. But because he could afford to travel from his home in rural Port Severn to Sunnybrook Hospital where his treatment would take place.
Brian’s story is not unique. He made the roughly 300km return trip to Toronto five days a week for over a month. It was long days of travel at a time when he felt at his worst. It was the only option. It’s a similar trip to the one that thousands of others have made since. Sadly, it’s one that not everyone can afford.
In 2019, Brian and his wife, Anita decided to do something significant to make sure that distance didn’t get in the way of others accessing cancer treatment. On their 60th wedding anniversary, they took the money they had set aside for a trip, and created the GAP (Gas, Accommodations, and Parking) Fund with the Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre, and it has helped countless people since.
The fund is available to support individuals who are fighting cancer with the cost of transportation to out of town appointments, hospital parking, and, in many cases, even overnight accommodations near the hospital.
“We know what it’s like facing those costs to get treatments,” noted Brian. “We set up this fund to help other people.”
These costs, which Brian understood all to well, can add up to thousands of dollars. For most people living across North Simcoe and South Georgian Bay, a cancer diagnosis means regular treatment in either Barrie or Toronto. It may be a visit to RVH every few months, followed by regular follow-up or, like in Brian’s case, it may be daily radiation for weeks at a time, along with a range of other treatments over months or even years. All this while likely not receiving regular income outside of a pension or employment insurance, if anything at all.
Sadly, on June 26 of 2023, and unrelated to his previous fight with cancer, Brian passed away. Now, his legacy lives on in The Brian and Anita Millett GAP Fund. This fund has supported hundreds of individuals across North Simcoe and South Georgian Bay, providing tens of thousands of dollars in support to those facing the same barriers that Brian and Anita set out to break down. Thanks to their one act of kindness, those barriers are now but bumps in the road on that cancer journey.