Once again this year we are fighting for future generations. We are participating in a Sick Kids charity beach volleyball tournament in July with the intention of raising money to keep the dreams of so many alive. As you may know, Jenn and I were blessed 24 years ago when Sick Kids saved our daughters life. Because of the men and women at Sick Kids we have been able to share our journey with so many others that have had similar experiences. Please consider joining the fight and making a donation that will save a

life.

As most of you know, Sick Kids Hospital is near and dear to our hearts. Like many of you, we experienced a life changing event nearly 26 years ago. Since that time we have met many family and friends that share a similar journey. Every year we participate in fundraising to help continue the quality of care and life saving research that happens at Sick Kids. Because of this; we feel that it is important to share our story.

What seems like an eternity ago, we received a call from Belleville General Hospital. The doctor asked me to sit down, and he began talking. He asked me to repeat what he was saying so family in the room could help me comprehend what I needed to do. I remember this moment like a photograph in my head. I repeated what the doctor was saying: “your daughter has a tumour in her cheek, it is very large. Someone needs to come to the hospital to get the x-rays and then you need to pack your family up, SickKids Hospital is waiting for you.” I was in shock and the Doctor was right, I was a mess. It was by far the longest drive of our lives from Belleville to SickKids Hospital in Toronto.

We spent the first week at the hospital running test after test. The tumour was the size of a grapefruit in our two year old's face. It was behind her mandible and had woven itself around her carotid artery and her airways, slowly choking her. The biopsy determined it was not cancerous but it was too big to be removed from the inside of her mouth. Amber was about to face a partial mandibulectomy on the Monday.

It was a gruelling 10 hour long surgery! The longest 10 hours of our lives. Dr. Papsin intricately snaked an incision from the centre of Ambers bottom lip, around her chin and then back around and down her neck. He removed her tumour eaten mandible to expose the beast that had made her so ill. The tumour came out in tiny pieces which made the surgery very difficult and they had to burn the tumour around her artery so as not to cause brain damage and then; put her back together again which included a steel plate and screws in her chin, and uncountable amount of stitches.

When we finally got to see her, she was scared and crying. How do you explain to a two year old what they are going through? As life would have it, she managed to figure out how to talk with the tracheotomy within a couple days! To say it mildly, we were a hot mess and we cried a lot. Watching your children go through anything like this breaks your heart...but...she was alive! Dr. Papsin said something to us that day when he came to give us a progress report. “For you, this is the worst day of your lives. For me, it is Monday...I do this everyday and Amber is in very good hands.” That has stuck with us over the years and we have even used that story to ease others during their time of need. We spent a month at Sick Kids recovering from that surgery and another 16 years being repeat guests to ensure that little bit around her artery didn’t grew back!

Today our beautiful 2 year old girl is 28 years old and married. Amber has had a rough go with her health and has struggled with this all her life. We know this has been very hard for her and sometimes she is still angry about what life has dealt her. Our daughter Amber is tough as they come! To this day she shows us that nothing will stop her! She has a voice and she uses it! She has this one life and she is going to live it!

It has been my yearly goal to be a SickKids advocate. To give back to the hospital that saved my baby’s life. So each year I have tackled a fundraising event and am very proud to say that collectively we have raised over $60,000 over the last few years. This year our friends have looked together, and we will be bringing 3 volleyball teams! That’s 18 of us playing in a beach tournament at Ash bridge’s Bay on July 12, in support of SickKids hospital. We are truly honoured to have some of the most beautiful, generous, and kind humans in our lives who consistently offer us their support with our fundraising efforts. You know who you are and we love you all. ️

The clinical facilities at SickKids are close to 70 years old. Today, one of the biggest battles at SickKids is against the limits of an old building. Help us unleash the full potential of SickKids by donating online – it’s safe, secure and easy. Any amount you give today will help us reach our fundraising goal.

Together we are UNSTOPPABLE!