In early summer of 2007, a local Elliot Lake legend named Gregor McGregor was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the nasal pharynx, he was 21 years old. It was a very rare form of cancer and at that time, his chances for survival were just slightly better 50/50. Gregor being the great young man that he is, never felt sorry for himself and prepared for the fight of his life. In addition, he learned that he was surrounded by a family and friends that would fight with him every step of the way. Gregor's best friends, Phil Boscariol and Phil Ucci without hesitation, shaved their heads in support of their friend, spent every night of the summer in Gregor's basement (as Gregor was too sick from chemotherapy and radiation to go out) and both vowed not to drink while Gregor could not. These sacrifices were not easy, especially the last one in the case of Phil and Phil.

At the same time, the Ucci family wanted to help Gregor in any way they could. Vince Ucci, having no real skills other than an ability to throw a party decided he would do that as a means to generate money for Gregor's travel costs. At the same time, local business owner and generally amazing person Jane MacDonald was also looking to help Gregor in any way she could. Vince and Jane spoke and now the event that would be known as Gregorpalooza had a venue, Dunlop Lake Lodge.

That same summer, the Ucci mother and sisters, Sheila, Christina and Lisa began organizing a car wash/yard sale. What they did was they organized a day where they would wash cars and sell items that the people of Elliot Lake had donated.

That is how it began, that was the spark. At the time, all organizing parties hoped for the best and just wanted these events to be in any way successful. None of us could have possibly anticipated what was about to happen. That spark erupted into a forest fire of kindness and generosity. The car wash was an incredible success with countless businesses and individual citizens donating not just old junk but things of great worth, things that sold easily. The actual party known as Gregorpalooza sold out. Local musicians entertained all night for free and people came from all over, as far as the Northwest Territories. Moreover, at least 30 people, both male and female left that night hairless in support of Gregor and his fight. All the events that year raised just over $15000 for Gregor but Gregorpalooza did something even more than that. It showed Gregor that he was not alone, not by a long shot. It was an opportunity for the city of Elliot Lake to show its true colors and the people of this city did just that. That first year showed that we in Elliot Lake are one big family and when one of us falls down, we will all come together to help pick them back up.

For our 17th year of Gregorpalooza, our recipient is an incredible young woman named Sandra Lefefvre.  Though not originally from Elliot Lake, Sandra and her husband Mike have lived and worked in Elliot Lake for over six years.  Sandra is a registered nurse at St Joseph General Hospital and Mike is a local paramedic.  They are thirty-two and thirty-four years old respectively and they are the proud parents of two children, Antonio who is fourteen years old and Lorenzo who is four.  

Mike and Sandra’s love story began in Sudbury at a MacDonald’s restaurant.  They were both shift managers and they were very quickly drawn to each other.  After that, it was always Mike and Sandra; they were young and they were in love. In 2010, their bond became even stronger as they welcomed their first son Antonio into the world.  In the years that followed, despite being young parents, they both worked their way through school and both earned professions in the challenging and noble world of health care.    

In 2019, they endeavoured to find a quieter place to raise Antonio and they made the choice to move to Elliot Lake.  This decision, as everyone who knows them can attest, made our community better.  Since then, the people of Elliot Lake have been able to live a little bit healthier and safer with Sandra and Mike working in our town.  By 2021, Mike and Sandra were both established professionals and they decided to have their second child, a boy named Lorenzo.  They were truly an incredible success story and a young family that Elliot Lake could be proud of. 

As with every year that I write this article, I sincerely wish I could end this story here.  

Unfortunately however, in March of this year, Sandra discovered a small, toonie sized lump on the side of her breast. After a mammogram, on April 3rd, doctors informed Sandra that she had breast cancer.   Even worse, the scans that followed revealed the devastating news that the cancer was not localized to her breast but had spread to multiple lymph nodes and to her liver.  This meant that she had stage four breast cancer and that surgery and radiation would not be treatment options.  

To say that the months since this diagnosis have been a whirlwind would be a dramatic understatement.  In this time, Sandra and Mike have had to travel to Princess Margaret hospital in Toronto for potential treatments as well as frequent trips to Sudbury for countless scans and appointments.  This is on top of undergoing intensive chemotherapy to systematically treat her various cancers and raising their young children.  2025 has brought more challenges for the Marconatos than anyone should have to face in their lifetimes.  

This, once again, is where we come in.  It is a fact, fighting cancer costs money.  Not only that, it also diminished your ability to make money.  Luckily, that’s what we’re here for.  Just like we have sixteen times before, it is time for us to all step up and do everything we can to help one of our own in her time of need. It has never been more important for us, as Elliot Lakers, to do what we do best.  Make donations, get your friends to make donations, buy tickets, buy T-shits.  Please do everything you can to show Sandra that we have her back, she deserves it.    

Despite everything she has been through, Sandra remains optimistic.  When I asked her what has been the hardest part of all of this, her response was that it was the uncertainty.  “I do not know if I will get to grow old or watch my children grow.  All I know is that I must wake up everyday and fight, to cherish every moment I can with my loved ones.”  Well Sandra and Mike, you are not alone in this fight.  From this point forward, know that you have the full weight of the entire Gregorpalooza army behind you and we're going to everything we can to make sure you have many, many more moments to cherish with your loved ones.  You’ve got this.