Yesterday surrounded by family and friends we gathered at Dundas Square and then HTO park on the waterfront. We joined the National Team cyclists and support staff from North ,West and South as a crew rode in from Barrie and one from Burlington with the rest of us tagging on at Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke . As consistently as ever, our support team of friends and family were out in force. The Camp Trillium team spread the “Septembering” message with rings for sale and their impressive cycling spirit for the inside ( outside) ride at Dundas Square. We continued the Childhood Cancer Awareness experience with Coat to Coast and Camp Trillium at HTO park, where A BBQ was held and the party continued. We met some of the 5 bus loads of people who came from London and surrounding area, all of whom were connected to the cancer treatment centre there. Although I would like to say it was nice to meet some of those folks , I would rather say that we met for another reason.The dream here is to gather with fewer and fewer people affected by cancer. Perhaps in days to come that will happen. Meeting with old friends and new ones in this singular purpose is very powerful. We have had an opportunity to meet many people who’s passion is ignited by the huge hurdles they have faced in their lives, some collected throughout their lives, others are simple born with the ability to see their place in the cause , regardless of the drive, we are certain that despite the tears and the pain, compassion and joy remain and we are fortunate to be surrounded by it.
SEPT 17:
Today was awesome! We rode hard for the little man. Everyone seems to work well together. We had great rest stops and tonight at the Sears Distribution Centre in Belleville we were served an amazing turkey dinner and pie. The volunteers are incredible! Off to Ottawa for the start tomorow then on to Montreal.
More later
In just over 24 hours I will be embarking on my journey from Toronto to Quebec City. I am very excited to be joining a group of unbelievalble riders who left Vancouver on Sept 8th. I am happy to be riding as part of a relay team,in honour of 2 incredible kids. Our team mate from the West, Patrick Sullivan, lost his 3 year old son, Finn and we lost our 11 year old nephew, Alex. It will be a real pleasure to ride for these sweet boys and to join the commited teams of two families who want the boys lives to go on in spirit and in purpose. I am looking forward to meeting up with part of our family/cycling team and riding into Toronto together on Friday, September 16th, which is Childhood Cancer Day. There is a large Inside Ride being held downtown, and then a party later on that evening at HTO Park. The CN Tower will be lit up in Gold to raise awareness for childhood cancer. Thank you all for your support and I will keep you posted as I continue to journey across this beautiful country in search of the journey’s end.
Thank you all for recognizing the need to further this cause financially and through every gesture you make to “Pay it Forward”.
Finn and his twin brother Baird
Ben, Alex and Maddie
It was March of 2007 when we received a call that our nephew Alex, who had been struggling with leg pain associated with a hockey injury, had a new diagnosis of cancer, osteosarcoma (bone cancer). You have all heard the stories, you have felt the compassion that accompanies this news, but when the news is about someone you love dearly and a child at that , the pain slices through you ,along with the panic of all that is known about this ugly disease and much more anxiety about all that is unknown. We all want to know what to do and how we can help.As we began our journey with Alex and his parents Len and Frances and his siblings, Maddie and Ben, we soon found ways to be useful. Alex’s family opened the doors of their home and let all of us in so that Alex, and the family, could receive the outpouring of kindness being offered to them. It was a selfless act, for as parents they may have wanted to hold tight and spend their time with their child , instead they allowed us an opportunity to be a community of support ,not only for their family, but for each other. When we lost Alex in 2009 we were devastated, but each one of us had gained many new friends from the support team and we continued to rally around each other forming the beginnings of the tightly woven Team Alex. A portion of this team had become the cycling group, Team Axle participating in our first Tour for Kids event in 2008 .
