Photo: Contributed

The lights, colour and sound of Bollywood are coming to Kelowna this weekend with the goal of bringing hope and healing to those affected by cancer.

Bollywood Night, held at Bottega Farm Inn, is an event created by AJ Gill and his family after their mother passed away two years ago.

Gill says his mother, Harbhajan Kaur Gill, found out she had cancer after being admitted to the hospital for another reason, back in 2014.

“By the time they determined it was cancerous and she was admitted to the hospital, it was only three weeks and she was gone,” Gill said of his mother’s illness.

It was too late to save Gill’s mother by the time she was diagnosed, but he knows that doesn’t mean her legacy can’t live-on forever.

“She has always been a generous person, even after she was admitted to the hospital she wanted to donate to the BC Cancer Foundation,” he said. “I met with Cynthia with the foundation, and told her I wanted to make a donation with my family and she told us that we should think about doing something more, an endowment fund.”

Harbhajan was a kind lady and Gill says it was important for the family to do something in her memory.

Gill says after speaking with a family friend and doctor, he realized there was not a lot of funding for early detection of cancer.

“We have started this endowment and want to raise $100,000 in three years with all of the funds going to the BC Cancer Foundation to be used in early detection of cancer,” explained Gill. “After a lot of research I discovered a lot of money goes into Cancer research but not a lot into early detection and that is something that could have helped with my mom.”

Already, Gill and his family have raised $20,000 toward his $100,000 goal and the Bollywood night will hopefully garner more funds.

Of the $150 ticket price, 100 per cent of the funds will go to the BC Cancer Foundation. The event is sold out but Gill hopes that this means there is enough interest to bring the Bollywood Night back as an annual event.

“We hope through this event, the tickets and prizes we will be at a $50,000 donation to the BC Cancer Foundation, already.”

The night will include a five-course Indian cuisine dinner, a Bollywood bazar with bangles and dresses, two professional performance dancers, door prizes and a DJ.

Bollywood Night, although sold-out, takes place at Bottega Farm Inn Saturday evening.