The Examined Life Journal essay: Endangered
Excerpt from my essay "Endangered" published in the Examined Life Journal, Volume 11 (2024) "We fly to Florida in early January, fleeing Canada’s snow and ice. Two days later, my partner in life and travel sits beside me on the outdoor patio of Mulligan’s Beach House overlooking the Atlantic [...]
A Return to Writing
One of the great joys for me this year was a return to focusing on my own writing. Like many others, the pandemic played havoc with my sense of time and connection these past three years. Fortunately, my involvement with the CNFC board helped me maintain my sanity and [...]
Research Excellence at PMH
In November, I attended a couple of events to celebrate research excellence at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). The first one focused on illustrating fundraising impact, both in the clinic and the laboratory. A new state-of-the art clinic to support people who are undergoing clinical trials treatment, and new lab [...]
Anything is Possible for BMT Survivors
On September 27th, I had the great pleasure of speaking to other survivors at the inaugural Princess Margaret Hospital Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplant (Allo-BMT) Patient Survivorship Day In the 35 years since my transplant, I've never seen so many BMT recipients in one place—it was mind-blowing! There were [...]
When Community Converges
I attended a nonfiction writers’ conference during the last weekend of May. For the first time in four years, the Creative Nonfiction Collective (CNFC) hosted an in-person writing conference at the University of King’s College where I graduated with my MFA in 2020. [...]
15 years of Riding to Conquer Cancer
There are many things that can happen to a body after a bone marrow transplant. Graft vs Host disease, infection, viruses, autoimmune conditions, not to mention the lingering side effects of treatment and medication. And if you’re lucky enough to survive 35 years, as I am, there’s [...]
Commit to #3in2023
Make a difference this holiday season by giving the gift of life. I’m honoured to share my story for the #3in2023 holiday campaign in support of Canadian Blood Services. The campaign features remarkable stories about the ongoing impact of a single donation by generous donors. Your gift of blood, [...]
RTCC Ride #12: That’s a wrap!
I named my bike Freedom last year. In the midst of the pandemic, cycling was a blissful break from lockdowns and restrictions. It helped put my life in perspective and reminded me to be grateful, even with gusty headwinds and rubbery legs 🙂 This year, 3,000+ riders joyfully gathered [...]
Another (pandemic) year, Another Ride
Pandemics come and go, but the Ride to Conquer Cancer persists. I’ve written about this event in my memoir -- about the first Ride in 2008 and how cycling 200 kilometres over 2 days helped me reclaim my health and come to terms with the after effects of the [...]
Canadian Blood Services Profile
Still thankful 33 years after transplant, Toronto woman now helps others. "During my time in hospital, I received 157 units of blood,” she says. “Each unit represented a blood donation from someone I didn’t know. Those transfusions kept me alive during treatment, so supporting the work of Canadian Blood [...]