Mike's Mission Statement
To offer respect and kindness, displaying humility while inspiring with perseverance, compassion, a little humour, and a touch of style.
Mike was honoured to have been the Cops for Cancer Canadian Ambassador 2020 2023
October 2026
The Unbreakable Link, created by Mike Duhacek, will find Mike and a team of dedicated Halton Regional Police members spending 168 hours from October 19/26 to October 26/26 using team driven energy to support Cops for Cancer, raising funds, awareness and hope to our littlest warriors and their families suffering from childhood cancer.
Over the course of 7 days, the team will move continuously on foot around a 208 metre arena at 2485 North Service Road in Oakville, Ontario. Every step taken and every hour that passes will gain momentum to drive change for the better. It’s easy to forget the devastation that cancer brings to a family, until it happens to yours. (If you can, please donate, or share this on social media.)
On April 14, 2026 Mike travelled to Queens Park and was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship by the Honourable Edith Dumont Lieutenant Governor of Ontario in the Music room.
Citation read to the room full of honoured guests and dignitaries
Celebrating 13 years of Help Me Bury Cancer
Hope launches action and optimism drives belief
If you’re looking for motivation, join Mike Duhacek, as he shares captivating tales from his million-step walk across Ontario in the dead of winter pulling a heavy sled behind him, his Owen Sound to Oakville trek pulling an even heavier sled behind him, or running 31 half marathons in 31 days this past summer, all in the name of providing hope as well as raising awareness and funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. The helpmeburycancer Initiative is a bi-weekly shot of inspiration for anyone who has been touched by cancer, or anyone seeking stories of perseverance and adventure.
Season 1 - Stories From The Road
About Mike
Mike Duhacek is the founder of helpmeburycancer, an initiative to raise awareness and funds as well as promoting hope for the Canadian Cancer Society. He embarked on a solo trek while pulling a 125 pound sled across Ontario, Canada, in 2013. He launched this mission in support of his mother, who was in the battle of her life with a rare form of cancer. He had also lost both of his grandparents to this disease, so the drive to do something about it was inescapable. Beginning on World Cancer Day 2023, Mike set out on another trek, this time pulling a 212 pound snowmobile sled over 208 kilometres in support of the Cops for Cancer movement for which he was named the 2023 Canadian Ambassador.
Mike is the proud recipient of numerous awards and honours including the Canadian Cancer Society Award of Extraordinary Achievement and Outstanding Support, Halton Regional Police award of Excellence in Community Support, the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award (Sovereign's Medal), the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal and Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship.
Mike is a loving husband and father who has been a Halton Regional Police employee for over 25 years. He grew up playing hockey in southern Ontario and is a lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Mike is a true believer that when you have determination and a no-quit attitude, you truly can move mountains.
Speaking Events
Mike is a keynote speaker who shares his stories of hope and inspiration with corporate functions, cancer fundraising events, schools, hospitals and more. For booking inquiries, please email hmbc.team@gmail.com
World Cancer Day
February 4 is World Cancer Day. The day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control and was established in the year 2000. In partnership with over 160 countries, Mike and his Help Me Bury Cancer Initiative has represented Canada with multiple events, including a 125lb sled pull from Windsor Ontario to Ottawa Ontario and a 212lb sled pull from Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario. Help Me Bury Cancer has supported the World Cancer Day Campaign since 2013 and continues to be a part of the International community as one team in the fight.
2023 Cops For Cancer Trek Recap
The "Double Up" Event
Helpmeburycancer Cops For Cancer "Double Up" Event
In the dead of winter, beginning February 4th, 2023 (World Cancer Day) at 7:00 a.m. Mike Duhacek the newly appointed 2023 Canadian Ambassador of Cops for Cancer will pull a heavy snowmobile sled over 200 kilometers from Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario, to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society, battling whatever the elements throw at him. His sled will be carrying the six letters from the word CANCER, made of wood cut from a large pine tree.
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This sled pull is to raise funds for cancer research. The event is about hope, cancer awareness and to show cancer patients and their families that we’re out there fighting for them. It’s about inspiration. 10 years ago beginning on February 4th, Mike pulled a 125lb sled across Ontario and dedicated the walk to his mom who at the time was battling a rare early stage 4 cancer. Today, his mom is a pillar of strength working behind the scenes on this Double Up Event. Please donate using the button above, or get involved and team up with Mike by creating your own team under the helpmeburycancer umbrella, by “doubling up” while he’s on the road. Example, if you exercise an hour a day, double that. If you climb five flights of stairs a day, double it to ten…If you walk 2,000 steps a day, double it to 4,000! Ask your friends and connections to donate to our double up initiative.
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Join the Helpmeburycancer team and help make a difference. Please follow the event on helpmeburycancer.com, where you’ll also find links to his social media pages. Please take a moment and share. Mike will be posting a nightly blog with pictures and videos. He will also be wearing a tracker so you can log on and see where he is at any time.
"If you want something bad enough, find your focal point and go get it."
-Mike Duhacek
OVERVIEW
People first heard of Mike and his commitment to raising funds and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society in 2013 when he did his first “sled pull” across the province of Ontario in the month of February, pulling a heavy sled behind him with the word “CANCER” on it. After going to his website, they learned he had lost both his grandparents to cancer, and his mother had just gone through a gruelling three-year journey with a rare form of cancer, undergoing three major surgeries and chemo and radiation. He became known around Ontario as “the guy with the sled.” But Mike’s sled pulls are so much more than that. Each step taken symbolizes the struggle that patients go through. Each step offers support to each and every person who has been touched by cancer, or been blindsided by it. Each step reminds us of the importance of community.
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Mike has served a community of people who need support and or hope, and a community where support and or hope are offered to others. Although Mike is happy and proud to be known as the guy with the sled, his fundraising efforts have also included the development of events that support Cops for Cancer, becoming the Ambassador for Cops for Cancer, offering his support and leading by example, and speaking at schools, hospitals and cancer events.
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This determined and tireless dedication to raising both awareness and funds for cancer has included head shaves, movement challenge events and running events that include ultra marathons, marathons, and thirty-one half marathons in thirty-one days. Mike developed a podcast to offer support to others via a different platform, and has authored a book to offer inspiration, comfort and hope.
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He looks forward to sharing his next event with you, and hopes you will join him in whatever way you can, whether it is donating, or helping to spread the word.
Book
Excerpt
Lying in bed, most of the night I just stared at the ceiling. I just couldn’t sleep. I had to give up the idea that it was the small bed in the support vehicle that had caused sleepless nights before. The light started to shine behind the curtains. It took me about 20 minutes to sit up and work my way over to the window. I actually crawled across the carpet that morning. I grabbed both sides of the curtains and opened it like tearing off a band aid. I knew I was going to see snow but to this day I don’t remember ever seeing that amount in one snowfall. Cars and trucks completely snowed in and no traffic out on the road. Ed said he was heading down to start clearing off our ride. I had told everyone that I wanted snow on my trek. But a year’s amount in one night? This was going to be a day to remember.
AVAILABLE AT
A portion of all proceeds from this book will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.
2013 Pictures & Videos
Pre-Walk Training Video
Windsor School Support Video
Isolated Roads
Difficult Hill Climb
Acknowledgments
Awards
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Canadian Cancer Society Award of Extraordinary Achievement and Outstanding Support
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Halton Regional Police Award of Excellence in Community Support
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Halton Regional Police Inaugural Award of Excellence in Support Services
Medals
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Recipient of Governor General's Caring Canadian Award (Sovereign's Medal)
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Recipient of Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
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Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship
Mike's awards of Excellence in Community Support
A letter to Mike from The RT. Hon. Stephen Harper, PC, MP.
Mike Duhacek receiving a National Award from The Right Honourable Governor General David Johnston
Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship
The Governor General's Caring Canadian Award presented to Mike Duhacek
Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship certificate
Mike meeting Her Honour the Honorable Edith Dumont
2023 Media
Owen Sound Sun Times Pre-Walk
Owen Sound Sun Times During-Walk
Wellington Advertiser Pre-Walk
Wellington Advertiser Post-Walk
Wellington Advertiser During-Walk
2013 Media
