Pickering company using Bettersocks to raise money for brain cancer research

A Pickering marketing company has partnered with a Thornhill couple who lost their teenage son to a rare form of brain cancer 13 years ago to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research.

Bettersocks, each pair adorned with original artwork by former Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) patients, are being sold to raise money to find a cure for diseases such as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, which claimed the life of 18 year-old Daniel Bertoia in 2008.

Daniel, who was athletic and talented when was diagnosed at 16, was no longer able to walk or talk when the disease took his life two years later.

One of the ten different designs on the socks features art created by Daniel.

There are no viable surgery procedures for the disease, and no treatment options either, and his parents Marisa and Stan Bertoia held a series of fundraisers after his death to raise money for research. Through silent auctions and hockey banquets they were able to raise $750,000 for SickKids research before teaming up with CF & R of Clements Road in Pickering to help the fundraising total crest the $1 million mark.

CF & R, which has been in business in the Ajax-Pickering area for a quarter-century, then met up with other SickKids patients and the Bettersocks idea was created.

All funds raised will support research pediatric brain cancer research.

Socks are $15 a pair and can be purchased at bettersocks.com.