Lessons in Philanthropy: A Surrey Teacher’s Decade-Long Support

Elaine Chong isn’t the kind of high school French teacher her former students will remember fondly, long after graduating. She’s one they enthusiastically return to every June to Zumba with.

“They’re grown men now. One is married, he’s a teacher,” Elaine says of the boys she recruited in 2013 to help lead the warmup at the inaugural Zumbathon, a dance-based fitness fundraising event at Fleetwood Park Secondary, which has since raised more than $78,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation.

A combination of salsa, merengue and hip hop set to Latin rhythms, Elaine describes Zumba as “exercise disguised as a party.” But it’s the cause not the cardio that keeps the young men coming back.

“Zumba is not their thing,” laughs Elaine. Even so, “they’re always there for me.” As are the other 200 people in the Surrey community —including fitness instructors; Linda, Gaby, Dani, Laarnie, Nicole and Olga, and DJ Gary and photographer Doug — who come together every year to support individuals in B.C. facing cancer.

Elaine started the Zumbathon after both her siblings received a cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, her brother passed away at one-and-half years old, but her sister, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 32, is doing well.

The Zumbathon is an opportunity to teach students about the power of giving back, says Elaine. “It gives them a voice to talk about it,” and a platform to do something about a disease that impacts all of us.