WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba Brain Tumour Walk will not be taking place at Assiniboine Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will be taking place online.

Pam Gordon, co-chair of the walk told CTV Winnipeg that all the provinces across Canada will be participating at the same time.

“This is the first time in the history of the Brain Tumour Walk all the provinces will do it on the exact same day,” said Pam.

“This will mean before you walk, bike, use the treadmill, dance, etc. you can tune into your social media platform and check in with the whole country which is incredible”.

She said last year 1,000 people took part in the walk in Winnipeg.

“Some people live through it and some people are doing it in memory of others,” she said.

Local businesses had already been on stand-by to support walkers and volunteers, but with moving everything online, many things changed quickly.

“It’s just pivoting so quickly. Some things you can’t use anymore. You can’t use the food you had booked. For the first time this year we were having the actual police car come up so the kids were going to meet the police officers,” she said.

The virtual walk will take place June 27. She said the number 27 holds a deep meaning.

“Every day in our country 27 people will hear the words you have a brain tumour,” Pam said, adding the month of May is also Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

For her and her family supporting the walk and the Brain Tumour Foundation hits close to home. A scan of her husband Mike’s brain showed a tumour.

“A visit to the doctor, followed by a CT scan confirmed that this was more than the suspected sinus infection,” said Pam.

While it was non-cancerous she said the treatment made it impossible for him to return to work. Mike had been an automotive teacher at Dakota Collegiate for over 25 years.

“I really miss working. I loved what I did and it is upsetting not being able to (work). I find at the beginning of the school year because I was a teacher, I usually have a little depression in September,” said Mike.

He struggles with constant fatigue and daily headaches, and told CTV Winnipeg he had an emergency MRI Thursday night.

But he said it could be worse.

“I could have died if they hadn’t found the tumour,” said Mike.

“The work of the Brain Tumour Foundation, including their support group, has been a great source of support for him and our family,” said Pam, adding he is now the virtual support group facilitator.

“By giving back and helping others that are newly diagnosed by co-chairing a support group online every two weeks he is supporting so many brain tumour patients like himself,” she said.

 More information about Brain Tumour Awareness month can be found online.