24h Tremblant

When I was 10 I had a brother.  I had a sister too.  Then my parents told me I was getting another one.

My new sister wasn't quite as fortunate as the rest of us.  She was sick when she was born.  She never learned to talk, to walk...even to swallow.  My sister needed pumps and medications and doctors trips, and nurses came to our house every single night so my parents could sleep for more than 45 minutes at a time.

Back then, my mom was a stay at home mother, which made taking care of my sister a heck of a lot easier than it could have been, had she been forced to work to support our family.  My dad had super health insurance coverage, which made my caring for my sister affordable.  There were a lot of challenges, but we could deal with them.

Not everybody has the same resources though, and I'm not sure how they manage to get through taking care of a very sick child.

This is part of the reason that I felt so adament about doing the 24h Tremblant.  Raising money for families in situations that I experienced first hand as a child is meaningful to me.  It makes a big difference when an organization is able to step in, and take pressure off of families dealing with sick children.

When I was 12, my sister passed away.  Sometimes when I ride my bike, I think about her, and how lucky I am that I'm healthy enough to mix my own eload, and spin on my Speedplay pedals.  She wasn't, and it is a good reminder of how fortunate I am.

Thanks for supporting me this weekend: http://donation.24htremblant.com/Pages/Participants/Participant.aspx?participant=1895

 As a part of a team of cyclists organized by Lyne Bessette, I will be pedaling 4 shifts of 2 hours each (for a total of 8 hours) at the bottom of Tremblant while the skiers ski this weekend!