Not many people are willing to strip down to their underwear in public, but one group of Sunshine Coast residents was more than willing to do so in order to fight for a good cause.
The BC Cancer Foundation held its Underwear Affair on July 9 in Vancouver, an annual event held to raise awareness of below the waist cancers such as prostate, ovarian, and colorectal.
Participants run a competitive 10 km race or walk a less strenuous 5 km race and are encouraged to dress in as little as possible. Creative undergarments, bathrobes and other forms of wacky clothing are popular.
Sunshine Coasters Mason Gregory, Kayla Stanlow, Deborah Stanlow, Dylan Stanlow and Natasha Wells competed under their team name of Coastal Domination and managed to raise more than $1,200 through personal donations as well as 50/50 draws held at local pubs during the Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup playoff run.
Gregory not only ran the race in purple underwear, but lived up to the team's moniker by placing third in the event's 10 km run and taking home a trophy.
Gregory said he was pleased with the event overall.
"The race was excellent," he said. "Everybody was in their underwear, out having a good time."
The event held special connections for members of the Coastal Domination team, some of whom have family members who have battled different forms of cancer. Gregory himself had his own personal connection after having beaten his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma. With over a year and a half of various treatments, including eight months of chemotherapy, he has been cancer free for two years.
