'Really hit me hard': Former Riders CEO talks about cancer following death of Sask. MLA
'Really hit me hard': Former Riders CEO talks about cancer following death of Sask. MLA
Former Saskatchewan Roughriders president and CEO Jim Hopson said the news of Sask. MLA Derek Meyers’ death on Tuesday was something that hit him hard.
Meyers, who was 45, died following a battle with cancer.
In an interview with CTV Morning Live, Hopson said Meyers was someone he knew well.
“[The news] really hit me hard, I got to know Derek very well during my time with the Riders and we stayed friends, his mom and dad live a couple of doors from us,” Hopson said.
“I saw Derek not that long ago and I knew he was in a heck of a battle but he was a good guy and just 45-years-old, it’s just devastating,” Hopson said.
Cancer is a disease that Hopson and those close to him know all to well.
In April of 2021 Hopson was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, something he said he hasn’t spoken much about.
“As I learned more about what was happening to me and what was happening with others I realized that colon cancer has really become a major killer of people,” Hopson said.
Hopson said he feels there is a stigma around colon cancer and not many people realize yet how common it is.
“If you start having issues make sure you get tested, especially if there’s a history in the family of the disease but even if not get checked get a colonoscopy that’s the best test.”
Hopson said some possible colon cancer symptoms people need to be aware of are diarrhea, constipation and an upset stomach.
“It sneaks up on you,” Hopson said. "The funny part was the day before my colonoscopy I was out cutting firewood at the lake and I felt great and when I woke up and I knew the doctor very well he was really devastated and he said. ‘Jim I have to tell you you’ve got stage four colon cancer’ and I thought ‘how could this happen’?” he said.
Hopson said he’s been very fortunate and is now two years into his battle after being told he had possibly a few months to live.
“The Allan Blair Cancer Clinic is phenomenal, I have not had a bad experience, I’ve had 37 chemo treatments, I’ve had two major surgeries and now I plan on being around for awhile.”
Hopson said if you think you have a problem, don’t be embarrassed and get yourself checked out.
As bystanders screamed for help, a man with a knife stabbed four young children at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday, assaulting at least one in a stroller repeatedly. The children between 22 months and 3 years old suffered life-threatening injuries, and two adults also were wounded, authorities said.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
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Norwegian officials said the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has enveloped parts of the U.S. and Canada in a thick haze is expected to pour into Norway on Thursday.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died.
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
Manitoban and Vegas Golden Knight defenceman Zach Whitecloud is getting plenty of support from his hometown community while he competes for the Stanley Cup.
Calgary city council has reconsidered its decision to vote against recommendations made by an expert panel to address the city’s housing affordability crisis.
Police say a man on a mobility scooter has life-altering injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in a northeast Calgary intersection on Wednesday evening.
Drivers are being asked to find another way or prepare for delays on the Henday this weekend, because crews need to close a bridge over the North Saskatchewan River.
The Archdiocese of Edmonton will spend $3.2 million on reconciliation initiatives with First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in the Alberta capital region.
Smoke and haze from wildfires cleared over Ottawa-Gatineau on Thursday, allowing outdoor recreational programming and activities to resume. Officials warm the smoke and haze could return on Friday afternoon.
The Ottawa Real Estate Board says home sales were up six per cent in May 2023 compared to a year prior, marking the first year-over-year unit sales volume increase since early last year.
The nondescript parking lot at the centre of debate about the future of Vancouver's historic Chinatown is unchanged in the six years since plans to build a condo tower there were shot down by the city's development permit board.
British Columbia’s beer game continues to pack a punch on the national stage, as breweries from across the province took home nearly four dozen awards at the Canadian Brewing Awards.
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
An Ontario man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Claudia Iacono, the daughter-in-law of Mafia associate Moreno Gallo, after she was gunned down at the wheel of her car in Montreal last month.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
The man in the spotlight during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Dr. Horacio Arruda, has been appointed assistant deputy minister at the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
There's no end in sight for the closure of Highway 4 on Vancouver Island – the only highway leading to the communities of Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet – due to a wildfire burning in the area.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre has seen an increase in women, trans and gender-diverse survivors seeking support after experiencing sexualized violence.
A busload of high school students were finally heading home to Nanaimo on Wednesday after they were stranded by a raging wildfire that forced them to spend the night inside a Port Alberni high school.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
The Halifax Regional Municipality says it will announce Thursday when more residents can return to their homes in communities impacted by the Tantallon wildfires.
Irving Oil says it’s undertaking a “strategic review” with an eye to its future. In a release Wednesday, the company says it’s looking at a number of options, including the sale of its assets.
Romance scams have always been around, but they got worse during the pandemic, and fraudsters continue to use social media and dating sites to find victims.
Waterloo region and Wellington County remain under a special air quality statement for the fourth straight day Thursday with pollution levels expected to climb back into Environment Canada’s “high risk” zone this afternoon.
Kitchener is hosting a series of watch parties to cheer on basketball star Jamal Murray as his Denver Nuggets take on the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
