We`re different at Sheridan. Just like the people of Skate4Cancer, we

Rob Dyer
Founder of Skate4Cancer,
Get involved at
Skate4Cancer.com
We’re different at Sheridan. Just like the people of
Skate4Cancer, we’ve got different styles, tastes, and beliefs.
But today we need some inspiration, right from the source. Rob
Dyer, the man behind Skate4Cancer is here to give us some
hope for a future, and bring us together as a community.
by Bryan Myers
22 travismag.com
twitter.com /travismag 23
ob Dyer is a special kind of person.
For one thing, he isn’t your typical
guy, not by a long shot.
Just look at him.
He’s the creator of Skate4Cancer,
a charity focused on bringing people
together to fight cancer with skateboarding
and music.
Dyer’s personality is rare, unique even. It’s
difficult to describe him, but he’s genuine.
He’s got all the makings of a superhero.
He’s charismatic, determined, and he’s
even seen his share of tragedy. Like Peter
Parker or Bruce Wayne, he probably
could’ve done without the tragedy. Despite
that, he’s become who he was born to be.
My phone rings on a Saturday afternoon.
I always get pre-interview jitters and this
time they are especially bad. I know what
Skate4Cancer is, and I know it’s a great
cause. I know that on the other end of the
line, is its founder.
“Hey Bryan. It’s Rob calling, how are
you buddy?”
And just like that I feel the jitters disappear.
We talk casually for a few minutes about
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the weekend, and share a little anecdote
about how this all came to be. He spoke
honestly and openly.
I can tell that his personality is what
brought him to where he is today. He’s got
such charisma that it would be hard not to
like the guy.
Today he’s in Kensington Market enjoying
the nice weather. In the background I can
hear live jazz filling in our conversation.
I’ve come to understand Dyer as a bit of
an icon. He’s one of the best things to come
out of the scene in the last little while.
I asked him what it feels like to be the
face of Skate4Cancer and he laughed. I can
tell that I just made him blush. He doesn’t
see himself as anything special.
“Ah thanks man,” he said. He went on
to express how much he appreciated the
compliment.
“I don’t feel like an icon. People are able to
relate to the Skate4Cancer story. We want
people to feel comfortable.”
That’s what really makes Skate4Cancer
special. It’s not about one person, although
Dyer perhaps is the most well known figure,
it’s about community.
When Dyer was 15 he lost his mother, his
maternal and paternal grandmothers, and a
close friend to cancer.
He focused his negative energy into
something productive. His mom’s struggle
convinced him that battling cancer was
his journey.
So he got started the only way he knew,
with a skateboard in hand and a community
as his support.
A decade later Skate4Cancer travelled
across the country twice, and is heading
across the world to finish a skate across
Australia.
Dyer’s first skate took place in 2004
when he skated from L.A. to his home in
Newmarket, Ontario.
Two years later he did it again. This year
Skate4Cancer attempted to cross Australia
but was forced to cut the trip short after
their van was in an accident. He still plans
on returning to finish what he started.
“Skate4Cancer is about friends getting
together to take part in a cause they believe
in, and it’s always been that way.”
photo by Jess Baumung
“Today it’s more of a community,” he
explained.
But why is Skate4Cancer such a success?
Great question.
Like Peter Parker or Bruce
Wayne, he probably could’ve
done without the tragedy...
It engages young people in just the right way.
Dyer’s personality combined with his youthful
creative team serves act as his driving force.
Skate4Cancer’s awareness campaigns
approach youth at eye-level, not from an
adult perspective. It's all accompanied with
the charismatic and dynamic voice of Dyer.
“A lot of our audience is girls. It’s hard to
get guys involved,” he said.
“Any organization that can get men
involved in these matters is incredible. We’re
trying to bring awareness to something that
guys aren’t comfortable with.”
It’s easy to engage and captivate an
audience of girls when your leader is
tattooed and hunky. But engaging guys who
are already uncomfortable with this sort of
stuff, well it requires something more.
On November 2nd Dyer will be talking to
Sheridan students at Connexion about the
Skate4Cancer mission, raising money for the
Dream Love Cure Drop-in Centre.
This will be a place that provides
information and support for anything to do
with cancer.
Dyer’s visit kicks off Movember, the
month where guys are encouraged to grow
moustaches for cancer awareness.
“Young people are the cure,” he said.
“Living life in a certain way is the cure.
They can change the way everything is right
now, for a brighter future.”
You can hear it in his voice – he’s
passionate about this. This is what he was
meant to do, inspire.
So how can you get involved?
“The most important thing is to go to the
website, learn about the campaigns, and
just show up at an event.”
“Just spread the word,” he said.
I’m inspired, how about you Sheridan? t
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