Help Jennifer raise money

So, a bit of background for you.  I am sure many of you know, but the Coles notes version is Ben became ill suddenly on July 28th 2004 early in the morning, and by midnight on Jul 29th, he had had 3 brain surgeries, a large tumor removed from his front right lobe, and was in a coma. Things looked very grim, and although we were told to wait for pathology, we were pretty sure it would be a malignant dx. 

It took more then a week, we found out later, that Ben was the 11th case of this type of cancer that Sick Kids in Toronto had ever seen, and only the 140th case worldwide.  He had an AT/RT, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor   AT/RT was only recognized as an entity in 1996 and added to the World Health Organization Brain Tumor Classification.  This was not good news.  Survival rates were less then 5%, protocols were still under development and in short, they were not sure what they were going to do. 

He spent the next 5 weeks recovering from the multiple brain surgeries, and then began a 5-month schedule of a very aggressive chemotherapy plan.  Early December we also did a procedure to gather his stem cells and prepped him for a stem cell transplant, he ended up having 3 of them beginning in January.  His treatment was brutal, and though every effort was made to get him home even for a day or so, he never was well enough, so we stayed until the end of May 2005. Over 10 months in the hospital.  You learn a lot when you live in a hospital, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  

Sick Kids is the greatest place on earth, and that is in part due to its people, and those people include OOCH.  There in hospital programs have grown throughout the yrs, but always included arts and crafts, music, crazy themes, and honestly just a break for me, and I knew he was entertained for a few mins.  During that time, they talked about this magic place in Muskoka they had and as soon as he turned 6, he could go for 2 weeks!!!!  Never did I think I would let him go. BUT, Ben was released on May 2005 and a few short months later, we had the opportunity to go to Camp Trillium, which was another type of camp for families affected by cancer and they had a family camp.  Again, I was newly separated, (whole other story) and had a 5 and 7 yr old by myself and was heading to camp….what was I thinking.  We arrived and were met by 2 counsellors who identified themselves as Carly and Ben’s “special friends”.  I thought that was cute and hoped we would get to see them throughout the week.  Little did I know, they would be attached to my children from the time they woke up until the time they went to bed, and a few nights even later.  I cannot begin to explain, the programming, activities, down time, family time, how everything was planned out, and how I had never felt so supported and honestly had not had so much time to myself since July 2004.  They took care of thing I did not even know I needed to be taken care of.  Camp Trillium offered residential camp as well, but you had to be 8 yrs old. They also offered it for the siblings.  So, Carly would get to go the next year alone, but Ben would have to wait a few yrs.  OOCH programs started at 6 yrs, so when it was time, although very nervous I let him go.   

We never looked back, he went every year to summer camp for 2 weeks, over the years, he would also attend Fall, and Winter camp, in city programs, leadership programs and even was chosen to do an exchange to Camp Kindle in Alberta.  At no time, was I asked for money?  12 yrs of camp, all season, trips to the ROM, the Police Marine unit, countless sporting events, never a dime. When he was 18, he graduated, and although it was such a fun filled day it was bittersweet, but he knew he wanted to go back to volunteer and maybe eventually work there.  Then the pandemic hit.  OOCH and Trillium have been forced to pivot and pivot again more then I can imagine and add in the loss of the way their biggest fundraisers happen has been tough. Fundraising dollars matter, they help, they saved our lives, they provided what we needed when things were darker than I could have ever imagined.  OOCH and Trillium are family and need our help now.