Douglas College will present its 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award to Robert Jeeves, co-founder of Drive for the Cure Foundation – a B.C.-based charity raising millions for the purchase of cancer-treatment equipment.

“Receiving this award is a great surprise and honour,” Jeeves said. “It was a long time ago – in 1983 – that I started at Douglas College and it’s always nice to be recognized for the work you do in the community to help others.”

The successful realtor studied Criminology and Construction Management in the 1980s at Douglas College. Following that, Jeeves joined his family business, followed by a stint at Sleeman Breweries, before turning to a career in real estate.

In 2001, Jeeves and his friends founded Drive for the Cure Foundation in honour of one of a friend’s mother – Joy Anne Fisher. Since then, the foundation has raised more than $2.5 million for life-saving equipment, in addition to an endowment that has more than $855,000 in the fund.

All of the events and fundraising programs are designed and run by volunteers, with zero funds going towards administration fees, Jeeves said.

“It has been a real passion for the group to push this forward,” Jeeves said. “Now we are hoping our work will wear off on our children and they will continue the work we’ve started.”

Drive for the Cure Foundation fundraises through a number of events, most notably, the Drive for the Cure Golf Tournament. Proceeds from these events are used to enhance the health, well-being and quality of life for those struggling with cancer.

Projects undertaken by the Drive for the Cure include the purchase of special diagnostic and treatment equipment, provision of funds for a children’s program to assist young children coping with cancer in the family or the death of a parent or grandparent and the purchase of visual aids to provide patients undergoing treatments.

The former Douglas hockey player is also active in his community through youth sports as a member and coach of Haney Neptune’s swim club and Ridge Meadows Minor hockey.