On Sept. 15, 2020, Thomas Wamiss made a life-changing vow to never touch alcohol again. After four decades of drinking, the Port Hardy resident quit cold turkey.
Shortly after making this decision, Wamiss recognized how out of shape he had become and started doing sports. He lost over 40 pounds in less than four months, just in time for his 49th birthday.
These dramatic changes completely transformed his outlook on life. Now alcohol-free and brimming with ideas, Wamiss was looking for a way to channel his energy into something grand.
“I started getting very ambitious with my creativity and came up with this idea that I should walk somewhere, and I said, ‘I'm gonna walk to Victoria.”
While that walk was partly a way for him to maintain his sobriety, he also organized it as a fundraiser for cancer - a disease that claimed the lives of both his brothers and his father, to whom he dedicates these walks.
On June 18, 2021, Wamiss launched his first-ever Sobriety Walk for Cancer (SW4C).
“I wanted to include my sobriety in the walk to encourage others to sober up and choose a healthier lifestyle,” said Wamiss. “I also wanted to encourage people to get tested regularly for cancer.”
The following year, although the experiment was a success, he found the endeavour taxing on his body and decided to switch to cycling. Wamiss explained that despite the change in transportation, the event’s name remained the same.
This year, for the event’s third iteration, Wamiss left Port Hardy on Sept. 15. Five days later, after covering nearly 600 kilometres, he arrived in the capital city. After resting for a day, the cyclist is now heading back to his hometown, aiming to return on Sept. 20, just in time for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, covering just short of 1,200 kilometres.
A proud member of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation, Wamiss hopes to raise $100,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation. All proceeds from this year’s event will go towards the construction of a new cancer treatment clinic in Victoria, noted Wamiss.
To donate, sponsor, or track the progression of this year’s SW4C, visit facebook.com/patchwamiss.
