My story: 

Growing up, many people imagine a beautiful childhood, filled with sunshine and rainbows. I was quite lucky in this sence. I grew up in two beautiful places, which many people view as vaccation destinations. Quadra Island BC, and Deep Cove, Vancouver, along side a beautiful family.

It truly was a dream to be born into such a beautiful family, and community.

The unfortunate and devastating truth is, this isnt reality for many people.

People are born into this beautiul world, but the darkness that comes from illnesses creeps up quickly and completey ubstrucks peoples lives, families lives, and communites. 

I watched this happen with my very own eyes. I never would of dreamed, or even thought this would happen to my family.

" In 2003, when I was 9 years old, Max was 7 and had been experiencing headaches, blurred vision and dizziness. Our parents booked him in for an eye exam the weekend of thanksgiving. I remember going to school that day and I was jealous because Max got to miss part of school to get his eyes checked. I remember asking one of his classmates if he was back yet around lunchtime and thinking it was strange that I hadn't seen him yet. At the end of the school day my grandparents showed up with our dog in their car and told me I would be staying with them for a night or 2 because my parents had to take Max to Vancouver. I didn't know what was going on but I just remember being scared and upset because no one told me what was happening. Turns out the eye doctor saw a mass in Max's brain and sent him for an emergency CT scan at the Campbell river hospital where they then sent him straight to children's hospital. From what I can remember he had brain surgery a few days after thanksgiving. The night or 2 at the grandparents turned in to 2 months. I didn't see Max, My Mom or Dad that whole time. There was a long period of time where I didn't know what was going on. Max was diagnosed with Medullablastoma (a malignant brain tumour). His tumour was about the size of a mandarin orange. After his surgery he was in a coma for a few days, and it was touch and go on whether he'd wake up. When he did finally wake up, he was paralyzed on the right side of his body. He couldn't walk, He couldn't speak, He couldn't swallow. He had to completely re-learn how to do everything. He re-learnt how to write, and switched from being right handed to left handed. I remember the first time I saw Max after his surgery I was terrified. I remember My Dad telling me that Max was completely different and that He couldn't speak anymore. The first time I saw Him He was in this wheelchair contraption that they could lift in to a big bathtub so that he could be bathed by the nurses. I'll never forget seeing this huge scar on the back of his head and how small and feeble he looked. He went through intensive radiation and chemo for months. I remember when He started talking again we were watching the lion king and He would sing part of the songs with me but couldn't remember half the words. During the breaks he'd have from children's hospital he and my mom would come home for either a few days or if we were lucky, a week at a time. I remember one time I came home from school and instinctively asked him to run upstairs with me to watch tv and my mom had to remind me that he couldn't. Eventually he got better, the chemotherapy worked, the radiation worked and he was able to be home for longer periods of time and get some chemotherapy treatments in Campbell river. With physical therapy and occupational therapy he learned how to walk and talk and write again. A lot of the details I've learned more recently since max is now an adult he has been transferred out of children's hospital my mom shared with me all of his charts and files from children's. Everything from 2003-2015."

 -Words of my dear Cousin, Ellen Rose

This is why I ride. I ride for Max, and my family. All of your families, and all of your loved ones who have battled cancer, and been defeated by cancer. Max is now 20 years of age, and a bright young gentleman. He is doing so very well, and has recently moved out on his own. I always looked up at him becuase he new everything, about litterally everything. He still does, and thats why I love him. 

This year, along with every year, I am riding for you Max. To honour you, and what you went through. Not only do I ride for you Max, I ride in honor of all people who have battled cancer, are fighting cancer, and have been lost from cancer. 

I also ride for to honor my role model who introduced to The BC Cancer Foundation, and fought her heart out to raise money towards conquering cancer. Unfortunatly the role model who truly inspired me to live to my greatest potential, and fight for what I belive in, is no longer with us.

But I sure as hell know she is with us in ways we would have never imagined. 

So, I ride for you Zoe. The woman, the sister, and the rolde model who truly inspired me that I can do anything, and one of those is conquering cancer. 

So community I kindly ask you to donate to my ride, to end this cruel disease that ruins lives.

Let's conquer cancer together, and end this never ending tragedy.