Ride for a Lifetime

June 20, 2025
Canadian Rocky Mountains

The Kids Cancer Care Ride for a Lifetime is a unique one-day fundraising event that offers scenic routes, unbeatable camaraderie, VIP treatment, exceptional roadside support and maximum fun. Kids Cancer Care is very grateful to the event sponsors, riders and donors for their ongoing support.

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Thank you to our Ride For A Lifetime sponsors

Our proud presenting sponsor

Our supporting sponsors

TBA 2025

Get ready to glitter and giggle throughout the night at the 2024 Dad and Daughter Gala: Disco Ball. Join us on Saturday, October 26 and dance under the sparkle of disco balls. Tickets go on sale on June 19! This fundraising event is not possible without our sponsors, donors, and guests – both big and small. A huge thank you to everyone! Watch this space for more!

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The Dad and Daughter Gala is a Kids Cancer Care signature event sponsored by RBC and Intelica Solutions, as well as many other generous supporters.

When Amber’s youngest son Michael asked, “When will I get my cancer Mom?” she knew their household was anything but normal.

Michael was only two when his big brother Luca was diagnosed with brain cancer. Michael didn’t know anything else; he figured everyone got cancer and his time was coming. Their older sister Natalia was six and she understood more, but seeing Luca, her best friend, battle cancer and its lasting fallout was tough on her. 

A child’s cancer will do that to a family. It disrupts childhoods and turns lives upside down. In Luca’s case, cancer just kept taking. Thank goodness you were here, helping Luca and his family rebuild their lives during their cancer journey and beyond.

As a toddler, Luca showed signs of exceptional intelligence. He started speaking early and acquired a massive vocabulary. Luca’s doctor was sure he was gifted, which floored his mother Amber, “He’s only eight months old, how can you possibly know that?”

While the other kids were playing outdoors, two-year-old Luca spent hours at the computer, exploring sites on volcanoes. By age four, he was asking his mother about university. Eventually, Luca’s parents Amber and Ernesto enrolled Luca in a school for gifted children.

Then everything changed.

A diagnosis that changed everything

After months of dizziness, nausea and weight loss, Luca was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer.  

Following an eight-hour brain surgery, which didn’t go well, “Luca spent the next week in intensive care in a kind of pain I didn’t even know existed,” says Amber.

He endured six rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, interspersed with three stem cell transplants, which also required high-dose chemo.

Stem cell transplants are high-risk procedures that demand extreme isolation and round-the-clock care. It is a major commitment for the family. Destroying cancer cells with high-dose chemo, a stem cell transplant essentially takes the child right up to death’s door before rebuilding with healthy cells. Luca had three stem cell transplants.

Shortly after his last chemo treatment, Luca relapsed and he would go through it all over again. This time, the family flew to Houston, Texas where Luca received proton radiation at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The hope was that the proton therapy would be less damaging to his brain.

By the time he finished the second protocol, Luca’s little body was completely spent.

Your gifts can help kids survive and thrive — in body, mind and spirit

through exercise therapy

With your generosity, Luca was able to attend our PEER exercise program to regain his energy and rebuild his strength and balance. To this day, he still fatigues easily, but “Exercise helps,” says Amber. “PEER was instrumental in getting him back to school and normal again.”

Although Luca’s treatments finished over a decade ago, his cancer journey is far from over.

“Just as we figure out a problem, a new one, or a few more, pop up,” says Amber. “We still see specialists every three months. I don’t think we’ll ever graduate to annual follow-ups because his health is just too complicated.”

through tutoring

One day, Amber received a call from the school telling her that Luca was experiencing double vision. A visit to the doctor, revealed that Luca was experiencing a brain bleed due to a condition called cavernoma. Also known as cerebral cavernous malformations, the condition involves abnormal clusters of small blood vessels in the brain or spinal cord that create wide caverns of slow-flowing blood.

Symptoms of cavernoma can range from headaches to seizures to paralysis, or balance, vision, speech, and memory problems. Luca has 20 of these caverns, which caused double vision and a serious brain bleed that required surgery. A severe brain bleed can cause stroke. The caverns grow and change over time, so there is nothing they can do to treat it.

While Amber and Ernesto tried to give Luca the best possible outcome by going to MD Anderson for proton therapy, it damaged his brain. Luca now has acquired ADHD and has complex learning issues. He requires constant cuing and requires a full-time aide at school.

“He went from being gifted and ahead of his peers to falling behind,” says Amber.

Thanks to your generosity, Luca receives support from a tutor who understands cancer-related learning challenges. “He loves Mackenzie,” says Amber. “I can hear him laughing and having fun during their sessions. It’s helped reduce my stress and I didn’t have to educate Mackenzie about all his late effects because Kids Cancer Care does that.”

through camp

The gap between Luca and his peers grows wider each year and he sees it. He requires constant care and will never be able to live independently.

After six years of daily growth hormone injections, Luca recently learned that his growth plates have fused, and he has stopped growing. He will be five feet forever. His hair never grew in completely and he’s had double cataract surgery.

Natalia and Michael both help with Luca’s care. “They have grown into such caring and compassionate people,” says Amber.

Still, they’re only kids themselves and sometimes they need a break too. Thanks to your support, Luca and his siblings get a break each summer at Camp Kindle.

“I have found lifelong friendships with people who truly understand me, and what my family has been through,” says Natalia. “We are so lucky to have a place to leave our stories and create new ones, away from the hospital.”

Michael agrees: “This camp is a big part of my life, through the friends I make every year, or the things I do every year. Camp really helps my brother Luca in so many ways. When I watch him trying new things, and making friends, it puts a smile on my face and a very big smile on his. I’m so, so thankful for what camp has helped him with. It has helped him bring out his real self.”  

As the Stamile kids suggest, camp isn’t only about fun and adventure. It helps kids affected by cancer build skills, friendships, and resilience essential to their mental and physical well-being.

Childhood cancer survivors are 57% more likely to struggle with depression and 27% more likely to struggle with anxiety.* Luca is no exception. He’s been diagnosed with PTSD and struggles with depression and anxiety.

Being at camp, seeing old friends, making new friends, and simply enjoying a sweet slice of normal helps all the Stamile kids.

“I love camp,“ says Luca. “I love everything about it, the activities, the friendships, the counsellors. My dream is to be a camp counsellor one day.”

* Lee, A., Low, C., Yau, C. et. al. (2023, June 22). “Lifetime Burden of Psychological Symptoms, Disorders, and Suicide Due to Cancer in Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” JAMA Pediatrics. https://jamanetwork.com/.

The Essex Lease Golf Classic is creating positive change for children with cancer — one chip, one putt, one birdie at a time. Now in its third year, the annual tournament has raised more than $300,000 for Kids Cancer Care, which translates into about 200 kids going to summer camp.

And the good news? They’re just getting started.

“During our first year of involvement, we went in thinking that Kids Cancer Care is there for the kids after visiting Camp Kindle,” says Ross Sten, Chief Executive Officer of Essex Lease Financial. “Then we realized that camp is really the tip of a massive iceberg of programs and services they offer. Kids Cancer Care offers so much more — not only for the kids but for the families facing this terrible disease. And when you hear from the kids themselves, you know you’re making an impact and that drives us even harder to make the tournament a success.”

With 152 golfers, 24 volunteers, and 93 sponsors and silent auction donors, the 2023 tournament was by all accounts a huge success. It raised $140,280, doubling its revenue in three years.

To raise the stakes in 2023, Ross spearheaded the idea of a massive 50/50 raffle, involving six Can Do fundraising partners of Kids Cancer Care. Instead of running several small 50/50s, Ross imagined a gigantic 50/50 where all the fundraising partners would collaborate to promote the raffle and sell tickets at their events. We called it the MEGA 50/50 and it was truly a win, not just for the kids, but also for the lucky Calgarian who held the winning ticket.

Essex Lease creates win-win partnerships in both play and work. The company offers equipment financing, asset-based lending, equipment rentals, and insurance to businesses. Essex prides itself on looking beyond the numbers and turning to character and trust to build long-term winning partnerships with clients.

Fortunately, Essex also takes a win-win approach to its CSR partnerships. CSR refers to a company’s commitment to environmental, ethical, philanthropic, and economic responsibility.

Christine McIver, Founder and CEO of Kids Cancer Care, agrees: “Essex isn’t interested in a flash-in-the-pan success. They’re in it for the long haul. They care about the children and families we serve, and they’re partnering to create an outstanding annual golf tournament that generates a consistent source of funding for our programs. We welcome the opportunity to partner with visionary leaders like Ross who help drive the economy while building a stronger community through collaboration.”

Ryane Nethery, a Kids Cancer Care spokeskid, shared her cancer story at the tournament dinner. Diagnosed with cancer at age three, Ryane grew up going to Kids Cancer Care programs.

“Going to Camp Kindle gave me a sense of a normal childhood,” said Ryane. “I didn’t have to worry about being on treatment and having no hair. I didn’t have to worry about being bullied or what people might say when I told them I had cancer. Camp allowed me to be a kid and make friends with other kids who were similar to me. I can remember coming home countless times with a smile that hurt my cheeks, being so excited to tell my parents about my time at camp.”

While the chemotherapy left Ryane with a serious heart condition and a learning disability, she considers herself one of the lucky ones. With a lot of hard work and the help of a Kids Cancer Care tutor, Ryane graduated from high school — with an 81% average. After receiving a Kids Cancer Care Derek Wandzura Memorial Scholarship, Ryane studied at Mount Royal University and later SAIT. Today, she is working as a pharmacy assistant with Alberta Health Services.

“I have learned many important lessons through Kids Cancer Care,” said Ryane. “I cannot thank them enough for the difference they not only made in my life but in my family’s life. One of the mottos I still live by today is: ‘Cancer may have started this fight, but I’m finishing it.’”

With the support of Essex and its partners, Kids Cancer Care is able to help young people like Ryane build the skills and resilience they need to fight cancer from a place of strength and courage.

“I can’t say enough about what Kids Cancer Care does for these families,” says Ross. “They are there when the child is diagnosed and when the child needs a tutor or exercise therapist to return to life outside the hospital. They’re there for the family when a child dies. Cancer isn’t over when the treatments stop, and Kids Cancer Care understands that. This is the kind of long-standing support we can get behind at Essex. I am extremely thankful to Essex staff, the sponsors, and Kids Cancer Care for what they are doing to make a difference for so many families.”

“If I die, really make sure, like make sure I’m not sleeping. If I go into a coffin to bury me, put a straw down just in case they made a mistake and I’m still alive. Or put a string down with a bell.” — Natasha.

Natasha Gould was 11 years old when she first started having conversations with her parents about her passing. She was energetic, whip-smart, and a natural leader. Natasha’s life was far too brief, but she found her purpose and lived it passionately.

The diagnosis

It was March 2015 when Natasha first started experiencing problems with her coordination and walking. She suddenly started tripping over her feet and falling. One day, she came home with a black eye from a fall.

When Natasha bolted down the stairs one morning, asking, “Why didn’t anyone tell me my face was drooping?” her mother Saskia Van Breevoort knew it was serious. “That’s it,” she said. “We’re going to the hospital.”

That morning, Natasha and her mother went to the hospital. Natasha was whisked away for an emergency MRI that same day. Saskia went in to hold her hand because she was a little claustrophobic in tight spaces. By this time, Natasha’s father Bill Gould had arrived and was in the waiting room.

They learned that day on May 1, 2015 that their daughter had brain cancer. It was diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). DIPG is not a solid tumour. It is a diffuse tumour, so it is interwoven with healthy brain tissue, making it inoperable. They also learned that DIPG is largely incurable and has an average life expectancy of about 11 months.

“It’s very surreal when you get that news, and you hear the words: ‘Terminal. 1% survival. No cure’,” says Saskia.

“The doctor’s advice was to have the summer of a lifetime,” Bill says.

Natasha underwent two rounds of radiation to shrink the tumour, but the most it shrunk was 15%. They still celebrated.

To undergo radiation to the brain, staff create a mesh mask perfectly contoured to the patient’s face. The mask is then bolted to the gurney to keep the patient’s head still so only cancerous tissue, and not healthy tissue, is targeted. 

When Natasha asked to do more radiation, her parents had to tell her that the radiation would not save her life. “Natasha, you don’t have to do this,” Bill explained. “This won’t save your life. It will only prolong your life.”

A star is born

Early in treatment, Natasha started blogging about her experience. It wasn’t long before she amassed quite a following and eventually caught the attention of Mike Gillette of  The  Truth365 and CureFest. The Truth365 and CureFest are American-based non-profits that advocate for more research funding for children’s cancer research.

As part of their advocacy work, The Truth365 features a different child with cancer every day of the year. Mike flew to Calgary to interview Natasha. He was so impressed, after interviewing her, he invited her to speak at CureFest 2015 in Washington, D.C.

Natasha was all in.

The night before CureFest, about 250 people were gathering to hold a candlelight vigil in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House. When they arrived, the park was closed, and the United States Secret Service denied them access. This bothered Natasha immensely and she ruminated on it all night. The next day, she seized the moment and publicly raised her concerns during the preamble to her CureFest speech.

No one could have predicted what would come next. Natasha made national headlines. The story spread like wildfire, resulting in a public apology by the Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy, who would later become a lifelong friend of the family.

Troubled by the misunderstanding and turn of events, Joseph Clancy reached out to Mike Gillette and invited them back to Lafayette Park: “How about in a month’s time, you come back, and I guarantee it won’t be cancelled.”

When CureFest returned a month later, the U.S. Secret Service had included Natasha’s website and brand colours on their website. Joseph Clancy later recorded a video for Natasha’s Celebration of Life.

As the brain cancer increasingly limited her physical functioning, Natasha grew stronger in spirit and resolve. She blossomed into a formidable activist, giving numerous media interviews in Canada and the U.S. She also gave a TEDx Talk for which she received a standing ovation. 

Natasha was sick with a cold but when she started speaking on that TEDx stage, she came alive. She didn’t want to get off the stage. “I have more to say,” Natasha said backstage. “I have more to say.

If Natasha had lived to be an adult, she would have likely pursued a career in the arts, communications, or journalism.

“She gets this from her mother Saskia,” Bill points out. “I think my response would have been to go hide under a rock somewhere, but Natasha wanted to be proactive. She wanted to rise up and share her story. It was ramping up of her personality.”

“She was forever writing a song, forever writing a story,” says Saskia. “This was a natural extension of who she was. She became an advocate for other kids fighting cancer.”

Natasha understood the disparity in funding between adult and children’s cancer research. She was passionate about righting this inequity, as are her parents today.

“Think of all the technological improvements you have every time you upgrade your iPhone,” says Saskia. “We have the technology, the wisdom, and the knowledge, and with God’s help, we can come together to collaborate to find a cure. Only five per cent of cancer research funding goes to children’s cancer research. When you look at the years lost for children, the aggregate of that just doesn’t make sense.” 

Bill agrees: “They’ve made advances in radiotherapy but the basic protocol for DIPG hasn’t changed for many, many decades. In fact, Neil Armstrong’s daughter died of DIPG in 1962, before he went to the moon, and the protocol is still the same.”

Waiting for a miracle

As Natasha’s condition worsened, they began having conversations about the afterlife.

“Your faith grows stronger,” says Saskia. “You’re waiting for a miracle to happen. Either here or in heaven your miracle will manifest.”

“Mom, what’s heaven like?” Natasha would ask. 

Saskia would reply, “’Well, Opa is there, and he always wanted a farm. I’m sure he has a piglet for you,’ [Natasha always wanted a piglet.] ‘And your lesson horse Play is there.’” [Play was a lesson horse, the only horse Natasha ever bonded with, and that horse had passed.]

“We had lots of conversations like this,” Bill recalls. “She was worried about being alone or waiting for us.”

Bill tried to comfort his daughter: “Here on earth, you’re time-bound, but in heaven, you’re not, so in a blink of an eye, we’ll be with you again. We’ll be right there with you.”

Even in their own pain, Bill and Saskia’s only concern was Natasha.

“One of the hardest parts of Natasha’s journey was she was very resilient, but at the end, she did become very tired,” says Bill. “Physically her body was shutting down. The cruel part of this disease is cognitively you’re absolutely intact to observe your body shutting down around you. And the last weeks when she couldn’t speak. She wasn’t swallowing. We lost that connection. I know she was with God and God was with her, but we lost that connection with her. In that way, she was isolated from me, and we couldn’t be with her.”

“We just kept talking to her,” Saskia explains. “Telling her she was not alone. God was there, that God was going to show up for her in a bigger way because of her circumstances. He wasn’t not going to be there for her. It was so unbelievable, Natasha could not communicate with her parents, her brother, other family. Those last days were really, really hard.”

Losing Natasha

The world lost a bright light on August 4, 2016, when Natasha took her last breath with her parents and brother Liam by her side.

“It was an awful and sacred moment to experience someone’s spirit leaving their body,” says Saskia.

About 100 close friends and family had arranged to show up outside the home with candles that evening to show their love and light for Natasha. She passed away at 7:30 p.m., two hours before the scheduled time. Not knowing she had passed they arrived at the scheduled time, which meant that a stream of close friends could come in to view and touch Natasha one last time. 

Natasha’s ripple

The cost of inadequate research funding is the loss of young lives and unimaginable pain for loved ones. Bill and Saskia are trying to change this.

In the weeks after Natasha’s passing, they began organizing the first CureFest Canada. Bill and Saskia organized CureFest Canada for four consecutive years before COVID-19 hit in 2020. Today, they work with CureFest International to live-stream it through the U.S.

During those four years, Bill and Saskia held candle light vigils in honour of the children who pass away from cancer. They brought together children’s cancer groups from across Alberta to advocate for children with cancer at CureFest. Working with Natasha’s friends and cousins, they brought together dancers, musicians, politicians, cancer researchers, health care professionals, children and parents, and the local media to advocate for more research funding for children’s cancers.

In the first year of CureFest, Bill and Saskia included a bicycle ride as Natasha had requested that kids ride their bikes at her Celebration of Life. In 2018, they commissioned a giant Beads of Courage, which they displayed during CureFest, to show people what children with cancer go through during treatment. While at the hospital, children with cancer receive Beads of Courage to help them record their cancer experience. Each bead represents a different treatment or milestone on their journey. The colourful beads are a tangible keepsake for children to help them understand their cancer experience and explain it to others.

“Every day on Facebook, I see more children being diagnosed with DIPG and because of our experience, we know what the probable outcome will be, and we know the fear and the panic and the researching under every rock, thinking, ‘There’s gotta’ be a way,’” says Saskia.

“And of course, if you took all those kids from around the world who are diagnosed with DIPG every day and put them in a school bus that went over a cliff, you would hear about it,” says Bill. “People would be outraged.”

But people don’t hear about DIPG as it quietly kills a child here and a child there and no one, but their family and friends, ever know about it.

Sometimes it’s difficult to not be angry, but Bill and Saskia strive for a balance.

“One of our missions in this process was to live in joy for our son Liam and in Natasha’s honour because life is worth living,” says Saskia. “To fight every day would be in contrast to living in joy every day. It’s a balance.”

Hope on the horizon

With support from our generous community, Kids Cancer Care and countless parents like Bill and Saskia are working to change the funding disparity to give kids a fighting chance. Thanks to your donations, a change in protocol for DIPG may be on the horizon.

Dr. Aru Narendran, a Kids Cancer Care-funded researcher at the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital, is collaborating with a group of American scientists on a vaccine for DIPG.

Approved by the Health Canada and the FDA for a phase one clinical trial in Canada and the U.S., children from across North America are currently participating in the trial.

“The basic principle of vaccines is to re-stimulate or re-educate the immune system, so it can identify a foreign agent, be it a virus, bacteria or cancer cell, to initiate an immune response,” says Dr. Narendran.

Cancer cells show up in the body frequently, but the immune system normally detects the cells as foreign and initiates an immune response to kill them. Dr. Narendran seeks to understand the fundamental biology behind why and how some cancer cells manage to trick the immune system and escape notice.

“When a normal cell becomes cancerous, it expresses new proteins that are not found in healthy cells,” says Dr. Narendran. “These new proteins, called antigens or neo-antigens, set off warning bells in the immune system.”

Developed by a group of American scientists, the DIPG vaccine was created to identify and attack a specific group of neo-antigens involved in DIPG. The goal of the trial is to determine the safety of the vaccine in children.

By looking at the anti-DIPG cancer cell antibodies, which form in children who receive the vaccine, Dr. Narendran’s team is seeking to better understand its benefits, particularly a phenomenon known as neo-antigen spreading.

“When we are infected by a bacterium or virus, the immune system initially recognizes only parts of that intruder, say, A, B, and C proteins,” explains Dr. Narendran “The immune system then stages a response to A, B, and C, but after a while, it spreads and can act on F, G, H, I, J, and K proteins. It’s like a ripple in a pond; it just keeps spreading outward.”

Dr. Narendran has observed a similar response in cancer studies in the lab: “We noticed that the immune response following the vaccine increases gradually and widely against the DIPG cells. This is an absolutely fascinating way by which the immune system carefully and effectively increases its offense against its target.”

The goal of his research is to finetune the vaccine into a super-vaccine that is both safe and more and more effective in targeting and killing DIPG cancer.

“I would love to see a cure for DIPG in my lifetime,” says Bill. “I would celebrate that, absolutely, that would be a joyous day. There would be a small part of me thinking, ‘Why couldn’t we have had it in time for Natasha?’ but I would be joyous just knowing that other parents and children won’t have to go through what we did.”

To read more about Natasha and her cancer journey, visit her blog here.

September 18, 2025

The Mane Event is our annual Rock Your Locks community fundraiser that brings together all the hair-razing, hair-dying and hair-cutting rockstars of Calgary to raise funds and show moral support for children affected by cancer.

If you’re planning a Rock Your Locks event and don’t want to host it on your own, join us at the Mane Event on September 19 and we’ll host you. Bring your friends and family to cheer you on!

Register, Donate or Login Here!

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Proud presenting sponsor of Rock Your Locks

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Proud in-kind event partners of Rock Your Locks

This June we have the absolute pleasure of awarding 12 young adults scholarships to support them in furthering their educational journeys, and we have the pleasure of sharing these students with you. The Derek Wandzura Memorial Scholarship was named in memory of a charming little boy who, with his smile and engaging personality, would hold the attention of any room. We know Derek would be “thrilled beyond belief to know that this scholarship was in his name,” said his mother Christine Mclver.

Four of these recipients also received Tiana’s Top up which is in honor of Tina Shoebridge who was one of Kids Cancer Care’s first campers. After battling cancer 5 times Tiana Relapsed once again in 2020 at the age of 40. Her life partner Colin Binding established Tiana’s Top up in her memory intended for individuals who demonstrate three virtues Tiana herself lived; supporting her community through volunteer service, bringing hope to others by being positive even in the face of adversity, and encouraging others to strive to be and do better. The recipients of the top up are Amanda Johnson, Baylen Lapierre, Breah McGladdery and Jaxon Leavitt.

Over the last 15 years 208 deserving young people have received over $400,000 in scholarships, and we are so proud to continue that tradition.

AMAN RAVJI

Perseverance is the word that comes to mind when describing Aman Ravji. Diagnosed with stage 4 osteosarcoma in late 2019, Aman has persevered through treatment ever since, never giving up no matter how difficult the situation is.

His strength and perseverance have served him in his leadership endeavours. He is a valuable member of the Kids Cancer Care Teen Leadership Program and his school’s leadership class, volunteering in the community at his local mosque and for children at a daycare. Aman has also shared his wisdom and leadership in the creation and presentation of a TED-Ed Talk on the topic of radical acceptance. Wow!

Aman plans to attend Mount Royal University in the fall where his leadership skills and entrepreneurial drive will thrive in their business program. We would like to wish Aman a huge congratulations, his passion and desire to create something positive in the world are evident and we know from first-hand experience what a positive impact he has made already!

AMANDA JOHNSON

Diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia at the young age of 2, Amanda Johnson was given only a 30 per cent chance of survival. She relapsed at age 4. Defying the odds twice, Amanda now deals with the long-term effects of cancer every day and she overcomes each day with strength and resilience. She is truly an inspiration.

A standout comment from one of her teachers compares Amanda to St. Theresa of Calcutta and St. Therese of Lisieux, consistently putting others ahead of herself while being a ray of light for those around her — even in times of great pain. We see Amandas light, in her volunteer and fundraising efforts in the Teen Leadership Program, in her role as a Kids Cancer Care spokes kid, and a kid coach in our High Hopes Challenge. And we have experienced her light in her poetry.

We know Amanda will continue to shine her light at the University of Victoria. This young woman plans to study sociology while learning from and continuing to help others. It is our pleasure to congratulate Amanda, we have loved being a part of her journey!

ARLO JACOBSEN

At the age of 14, Arlo Jacobsen was diagnosed with Wilm’s tumour. It turned his life upside down. His kidney was surgically removed, and he now faces the physical and psychological impact of cancer. As if cancer wasn’t enough, Arlo completed chemotherapy in March 2020. Just as the world was going into lockdown because of the pandemic and Arlo was looking forward to some normalcy, he faced isolation again. Kids Cancer Care’s Teen Leadership program helped him process, grow and connect at a time when everyone was craving connection.

Arlo is a caregiver by nature. He cares for his 30-some plants, 20-year-old cat, and has earned his certification as a volunteer medical first responder volunteer with St. Johns Ambulance.

This fall, he’ll be stepping into the Bachelor of Nursing program at the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus. Since the age of 6, Arlo has known he wants to be a nurse. While the motivation and reason may have changed throughout his life, his highest goal has always been to help. With great pleasure we congratulate Arlo! His future patients will be lucky to be cared for by him.

BAYLEN LAPIERRE

Positivity and optimism are two words that personify Baylen LaPierre. He radiates these qualities and so too did his scholarship application. At the age of 13 Baylen was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer, Pineoblastoma. Having a cancer located in the brain near the pituitary gland and ocular nerve has had an impact on learning, but Baylen perseveres and advocates for himself and his education daily.

Baylen plans to become a data analyst as he loves math and numbers. He will be attending University of British Columbia Okanagan campus for a business analytics degree. We can’t wait to see which school Baylen ends up at. His positivity and love of life are contagious, his smile infectious, and his involvement in Kids Cancer Care has made an amazing impact. We would like to thank Baylen for his volunteer service as a Kids Cancer Care spokes kid and as a teen leader!

And most important, we would like to wish a huge congratulations to Baylen! We have loved having him in our community.

MICHAEL ARTHUR

Michael Arthur is a two-time cancer survivor of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. A hardcore hockey enthusiast, Michael loved playing before his cancer diagnoses. These days, he enjoys watching his brother compete and catches as many NHL games as he can.

As an active volunteer, Michael shares his love of hockey by supporting the coaching efforts of local hockey teams. This fall, Michael will be eching out time in his busy schedule to pursue a nursing degree at the University of Calgary. We hope Michael’s future brings you scores of opportunities. We know he’ll become an all-star in the nursing field.

JADE KAZAKOFF

In April 2020, after a few months of not feeling well, and going to various hospitals and clinics to determine what was wrong, Jade Kazakoff was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Central Nervous System-3B disease. With the support of her family and the impact of her Beads of Courage, Jade was able to process, accept and share her cancer journey with others.

Throughout high school, and particularly in grade 11, Jade discovered a love and appreciation for construction during a cabinet-making class. This piqued her interest even more, and now Jade has decided to pursue a diploma in architectural technologies at SAIT this fall. We can’t wait to see the future Jade builds! Congratulations, and we wish her the best of luck.

LAUREN CHARBONNEAU

Lauren Charbonneau was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour when she was 2 years old. Also known by her self-declared camp name Clover, her involvement with Kids Cancer Care began at age 6. She has jumped into just about every program ever since. Lauren writes in her scholarship essay that Kids Cancer Care holds a special place in her heart. She says the support and joy we have given her is unmatched, and yet it is she who continually brings US joy.

Fun fact for you, Lauren is also a national-level baton twirler, which has brought her to places like New Brunswick for competition. With a keen interest in Asian culture, Lauren is pursuing a diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

A big congratulations to Lauren as she journeys into this next adventure in life. We have no doubt that she will continue to bring joy to those around her. We happily congratulate Lauren and look forward to witnessing the impact she has on her communities.

BREAH MCGLADDERY

Breah McGladdery was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in October of 2022, completing treatment in January of 2023. Breah is described as someone with grit, and nowhere is this is more evident than in her fight against cancer and in her push for safer communities.

Breah serves as a student representative on the Town of Carstairs Community Policing Advisory Committee. The intersection between this committee and her schooling has afforded Breah the opportunity to put into motion proactive strategies and programs such as ‘positive tickets’ at her high school. She plans to continue her education in the policing field by taking the criminology and justice studies program at Lethbridge College.

This educational path has the potential to open a range of career opportunities for Breah where she will continue to impact her community in positive ways. We look forward to seeing the impact Breah will have in the community by creating safe spaces for all to thrive. Congratulations!

JAXON LEAVITT

Residing in Drumheller, Jaxon Leavitt was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2013, which meant a lot of driving to and from Calgary for treatments. It also meant time away from his family, missing his siblings and his home.

Jaxon has taken on many roles in his life, but the ones he loves most are being assistant captain and assistant coach in hockey. These leadership and volunteer roles have helped Jaxon realize that he wants to pursue a career to support himself and his family, but also one in which he can make an impact in the lives of others.

Jaxon has been accepted into the University of British Columbia’s combined degree program in Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Management. Wow! Congratulations to Jaxon, as he takes this big step in his life to pursue his passion for helping others.

KAI VAN DER LOOS

In 2014 Kai Van der Loos was diagnosed with a Soft Tissue Sarcoma that was so rare, he had to fly to Texas for surgery to remove it. Diagnosed in grade 3, Kai did not return to school full-time until grade 7. This impacted Kai’s learning and knowledge.

He took it upon himself to advocate for his need for a tutor and that is how Kai became involved in Kids Cancer Care’s tutoring program. Matched with a Kids Cancer Care tutor a few years ago now, Kai works tirelessly on his schoolwork and time management. He and his tutor initially began their tutoring journey by reading Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief to improve his reading comprehension, but now it is a tradition for them to read a book together each summer.

As with Percy Jackson, he shows immense strength and bravery. As he steps into this next chapter of life, pursuing the university entrance program at Mount Royal University, we are excited to see what the next book, the next chapter and next sentence will bring. Congratulations, Kai!

PAUL SARARU

In 2019, during Paul Sararu’s first few days of high school, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his knee. What should have been a routine X-ray to check on a knee injury from a month prior led to a crisis in his world. After treatment and a total knee replacement, Paul had to pivot his love for all sports and through that found a new passion for one sport in particular, golf.

Paul is dedicated to entrepreneurship, helping to run Joy to Job, a non-profit organization that allows high school students to explore different career paths by connecting them to qualified professionals through webinars. Paul also founded an AI company that helps integrate language models, such as ChatGPT, into educational institutions in a safe and ethical way to encourage learning and curiosity.

With all of this in mind, it is no surprise that Paul is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce, with a specialization in finance at the University of Calgary. We look forward to seeing Paul score a hole-in-one on the golf course and in life! Congratulations!

DR. LESLIE ROBERTSON

We would also like to acknowledge Dr. Leslie Robertson, who has been volunteering on our scholarship committee since 2008. We have been made all the better for her attendance in our community and we are so grateful for her brilliance, insight, and positivity. We truly shine brighter because of her brilliance.

Dr. Robertson will be stepping down from her volunteer responsibilities after this year, and in the spirit of beginning new chapters, we so excited to see what life brings her in these next phases.

A heartfelt congratulations to all our outstanding scholarship recipients, you have earned it! We can’t wait to see what you do in the next chapters of your lives and from everyone here at Kids Cancer Care GOOD LUCK!

Susanne and Peter Glanville noticed that their two-year-old son regressed to crawling suddenly. They knew something wasn’t right. With his recent temper tantrums and fussy eating, they thought he was just going through his terrible twos. But when Eddie started vomiting in the mornings, their doctor became concerned.

On Jan 11, 2018, Eddie was taken to an emergency at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and went for a CT scan. The scan gave the parents an absolute shock when it revealed that Eddie had a brain tumour. As Susanne and Peter scrambled to absorb the news, their baby boy went in for emergency brain surgery. The parents at that time relied on faith, family members, and staff at the Children’s Hospital.

That surgery would change everything. Post-surgery, Eddie experienced posterior fossa syndrome — a condition that affects balance and coordination and the ability to swallow, speak, and walk. Eddie needed immense care and his parents would take turns living at the hospital. Eddie’s older brother Luke was 6 years old at that time.

There was a lot of stress during the initial days of the diagnosis and surgery. Family was a big support for parents to take care of Luke, while Eddie was away at the hospital. After months of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants, the cancer was finally eradicated. But they had a long recovery journey ahead of them.  

The Glanville family was introduced to Kids Cancer Care during their time at the hospital. Thanks to generous donors like you, we were able to support them every step of the way: “We were able to connect with volunteers and other families at Pizza Nights in the hospital, and over time, we started taking in more resources. Kids Cancer Care was always front and center — not just in the critical stage but as we came into a better place.”

When they left the hospital, they didn’t know how their lives were going to be. The first 8 months were the most for difficult Eddie and his family. They started with Eddie’s recovery journey. Eddie is an eager, independent, determined, fun child who loves to laugh. Through all this Eddie maintained his childhood ability to keep going. His day-to-day tasks require a lot of support and logistics but he is a determined child with a lot of potential. He is not the one to give up.

Eddy shares a special bond with his older brother Luke. And, for both the brothers, there’s no better place than camp. With the support of generous donors, the camp was able to give the boys a magical camp experience in 2019 and 2022. Now, they’re counting down the days to summer camp again.

“More than anything, they just need to be kids,” says Susanne.

Although Eddie can now swallow food, he still needs to sip his drinks through a Gtube (gastrostomy tube). He’s unable to walk or stand without support and he uses a wheelchair. While his speech is impaired, Eddie’s a great little reader and speller. If people can’t understand him, he spells out the words.

“We’re so grateful to Kids Cancer Care,” says Susanne. “The staff put so much thought and care into setting up the right resources for Eddie at Camp SunRise. It’s not often that someone can be his one-to-one aide all day, but Kids Cancer Care arranged it, so Eddie could experience camp just like the other kids.”

With your support, we are able to make our programs fully inclusive for all children. Knowing their son could experience the joys of childhood after so much pain and suffering was healing for Susanne and Peter.

“Kids Cancer Care recognizes that siblings need support too, says Susanne. “The whole family needs to heal. It’s such a lifelong journey — spiritually, socially, and mentally. When bad things happen, you have to look for the light. Kids Cancer Care is that light. All the support makes the impossible, possible.”

Thank you for making summer camp possible for Eddie and his brother Luke and the hundreds of children in Alberta impacted by cancer.

“Why did you wish for something that you knew would never come true? Isn’t that a waste of a wish?”

“Well,” smiled Arya, “because there’s always a chance.”  

This is the story of strong and resilient Arya who definitely lived up to the strength of her name. Arya means lioness and one could always see the determination in her eyes. She was lion-hearted, five years old, fighting a deadly disease with all her might. In March 2017, Arya was diagnosed with infratentorial anaplastic ependymoma type A – an aggressive brain cancer – shortly after her third birthday. When Arya’s cancer recurred 14 months after her initial diagnosis, it was considered terminal.

We were devastated by the news and wanted to do the best for our daughter in whatever time was left. With Arya’s terminal diagnosis, there were only two things that helped us to sleep at night. Firstly, to make Arya’s short life the best it could possibly be. We wanted her life to be full of adventure, love, excitement, friends, and inspiration. We tried to do as many things as possible on Arya’s bucket list, and we began prioritizing family time and adventures over careers and college savings. Secondly, to try novel treatments (many in the form of clinical trials) to maintain Arya’s quality of life for as long as possible and hopefully contribute to finding quality treatments for others who will walk the same path as Arya. I spent many late nights reading the latest academic research papers on cancer immunotherapy and brain tumors and trying to qualify Arya for clinical trials that might offer her a bit of stability.  

What does it mean to have a good life? For Arya, it meant having a chance to try new things. She was always excited at the prospect of any new adventure and the first to yell “yeah!” when we proposed an outing. We worked around her treatment schedule to plan as many fun adventures as we could. In 2019, Arya’s goal was to spend 50 nights in a tent! If you would like to read about her adventures, check out her blog here.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it affects the entire family, and our family was no different. Aeo and Zephyr, Arya’s older twin brothers, were often without a mom, as I spent most days with Arya at her appointments. And there were several occasions when we traveled for clinical trials and had to leave Aeo and Zephyr behind with relatives. They grew up early and started handling responsibilities without any guidance. They learned to get themselves ready for school and walk to school on their own whenever Arya and I weren’t home. I often struggle with how much of their lives I missed out on in the three and a half years that Arya battled cancer. The sibling experience is just as important to acknowledge and I’m so grateful to see how Aeo and Zephyr are now becoming more helpful, knowledgeable, kind, and capable young men every year.

During this tough phase, there were many communities and organizations that helped and supported us. One of them is the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta. Arya was one of the first kids to take advantage of the newly expanded PEER exercise program. Working one-to-one with the Ph.D. PEER exercise specialist, Arya engaged regularly in yoga, sports, exercise games, and gymnastics. The increased physical activity helped Arya counter radiation’s side effects by rebuilding her gross motor skills; building bone density to reduce her chances of bone degeneration; and restoring brain neuroplasticity to prevent cognitive delays. Arya regained most of her gross motor skills, balance, and coordination. She was almost back in the normal range and loved PEER.

On June 20th, 2018, we were looking forward to celebrating one-year cancer-free with Arya.  Unfortunately, we didn’t receive the happy news we were hoping for. Arya’s one-year MRI scan revealed a mass on her spine at T11, that was indicative of metastatic disease. Regardless of this upsetting news, we chose to continue with our family holiday that had been planned, and we were determined to make sure that the kids had a fun summer.

2020 was especially challenging for Arya. She dealt with a huge number of health issues, a very intensive period of treatment, and more emotional struggles than in the past. We were very concerned that this quick decline meant that we might be nearing the end, but just as the rest of Arya’s stories have had its ups and downs, Arya surprised us with a dramatic improvement overall.

Swallowing — the most concerning factor during her treatment — took center stage during recovery. We worked with an SLP (speech/language pathologist) to try some strategies to help Arya to get down small amounts of food safely and to help her breathe at night. After a week of no improvement, discussions around feeding tubes started, as Arya was weak and had dropped a lot of weight. Then, 10 days after surgery, Arya suddenly ate a bowl of oatmeal without coughing, and we were optimistic that recovery was on its way!

On July 20th, Arya finished her 5th course of radiation! She had now undergone radiation treatment at the ages of 3, 4, and 5, and now, another course at age 6. The next day, July 21st, Arya finished her 7-day course of trial chemotherapy. She was now off all the meds she’d used so frequently in the previous 4 weeks. She had completed an intense period of daily treatments, dealt with severe nerve pain and drug side effects, and attended a ridiculous number of follow-up appointments (vision, hearing, PT/OT, check-ups, etc.). She earned herself many new Beads of Courage in the last two months, including 40 new beads in the last 28 days. Kids Cancer Care funds the Beads of Courage program, which helps children understand their cancer experience. Each colourful bead represents a medical treatment or milestone along the way, offering kids a tangible marker of the treatments they have endured.

In 2019, Arya, and her three brothers (and mama, papa) attended Camp Kindle’s Spring Family Camp. Camp Kindle is run by Kids Cancer Care and is offered to families impacted by cancer. They also offer summer camps for young children with a parent battling cancer, as well as for bereaved siblings. This is a fantastic organization that has supported us greatly. Arya had an amazing time during her weekend at the camp, she tried archery, and went on a little hike to a challenge course with us! Her brothers had a lot of fun experience too and we’re very grateful to the staff and volunteers for it!

Over the course of Arya’s journey, she participated in 4 (almost 5) clinical trials, as well as 3 investigational treatments off-trial. Arya previously had 2 tumour samples banked for research. We also donated her tumour and brain after her death to help advance knowledge and research into brain cancer. We hope that her journey will contribute greatly to what is known about pediatric cancer and immunotherapy, and we hope that these contributions eventually save other families from a similar tragedy.

For the most part, her quality of life was great, right up to her last 36 hours. She was still attending school the week before Thanksgiving, playing with friends, and hanging out on the playground. She even went out to McDonalds to have her favourite Chicken Nuggets for dinner on her last day. She came home to a slice of pumpkin pie, and asked for seconds of ice cream! She was braver than any 6-year-old should ever have to be. She smiled in the face of adversity, right up to her last day.  

Arya passed away peacefully the next morning at home in her parents’ arms, just steps from where she was born. She was just 8 weeks away from her 7^th birthday. She always had a big smile and was known for wanting to do everything again!

On the weekend of Bereaved Mother’s Day, our family was also treated to a special retreat at Camp Kindle. Kids Cancer Care offers a Spring Family Camp weekend, and a Bereaved Family Camp weekend. Though it felt uncomfortable arriving there without Arya, it was a weekend of family time and Arya was well included in our time there. We created a family rock portrait and painted and hid some rocks outside for Arya. We all enjoyed some archery, rock climbing, ropes course fun, hiking, camp games, and crafts. And in typical Alberta fashion, we had all four seasons and every type of weather during our 48 hours there!

Arya departed this world on October 15^th, 2020. Her absence has left a void in our family that is beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet, her life has taught us so much, and we are incredibly grateful for the gift she has given us. In Arya’s passing, I have found that living a quality life and improving treatment options still drives me forward each day. 

— Petra McDougall, Arya’s mother

P.S. Wasting Wishes is an illustrated children’s book, co-authored by sweet Arya! The story is a true conversation between Arya and her mother Petra. Fantasy, reality, and hope weave together a heart-warming story in this true account of a day in the life of a 5-year-old child living with a terminal disease. Purchase the book here. Proceeds from the book will be donated to Kids Cancer Care.

July 11-13, 2025 – Registration opens January 15
Water Valley, Alberta

Join us for the premier all-inclusive cycling event of the summer with 3 cycling options to choose from: 3-day Group Ride, single day Sunday Ride or virtual Flex Ride. No matter how you choose to participate, every dollar you raise will go directly to sending kids to camp!

Raise a minimum of $1500 and send a kid to Camp Kindle!

SEE CYCLING OPTIONS AND REGISTER NOW

Check out Ride of Courage 2024 photos below!

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Thank you to our cycle challenge sponsors