Epic Impact: RTCC 2014

As a lot of you may know, I spent last weekend volunteering for the Ride To Conquer Cancer, as a Crew Captain, running a pit stop. As anyone who has ever been involved in the event knows, it is really hard to describe the impact of this event, but I am going to try!

Friday night in Niagara Falls (you can ride Toronto to Niagara, Niagara to Toronto, and a few more routes), one of the staff of the event started out the crew meeting by saying something to the effect of 'Your friends might be spending the weekend at the cottage, or having a party, but they wont remember this weekend like you will', and boy was she ever right. 

I can hardly put into words how inspiring and moving it is to spend your weekend with approx 6000 other people who all want to kick cancer in the butt, and collectively fundraised $20 MILLION to do so. As a volunteer, you get to see almost every rider come through your pit stop, and while you are giving them food and water you get a small snapshot of everyone's stories, as you ask them how their ride is and they share a bit of themselves with you. 

One particular story that I was privileged to get to be a part of was Sylvia's story. Sylvia is an amazing woman who was on my crew. Sylvia's husband Doug passed away from Cancer in February, after a battle of not much more than a year. At the Friday night dinner in the Falls, the captain of the KPMG team was invited to say a few words and he told everyone about how his friend Doug had lost his battle and how Sylvia was volunteering at Pit Stop 2, and how the KPMG team was riding in Doug's memory (with his name on the sleeve of their Jerseys). Needless to say there were a few tears shed at pit stop 2, but there were also hugs from strangers who didn't know Sylvia or Doug, but heard their story and made it a point to find her and give her a hug. Sylvia wrote to me in an email that this was something Doug would have loved helping out with, and to see her doing this for him was truly incredible. 

(a photo posted by the ride that happens to feature my friend Jon)

It sounds crazy to say that 6000 strangers can feel like a family, but at the Ride they really do. It doesn't matter who you are, you strike up a conversation and make memories that you wont soon forget. Like Alan and Myra. Myra is blind, and she and Alan ride a tandem bike, and have the most amazing energy. Or like walking through the main tent during the camp ceremony and having thousands of riders all cheering for the volunteers, when they are the ones riding 200+ km, we should be cheering for them! It felt so strange coming back to reality on Monday, and riding a crowded subway to work where strangers don't smile at each other or ask each other how they are doing, or tell each other they are doing a great job! 

I went into this weekend with two particular people in my heart whose loss hits way too close, and I left with thousands more. Cancer affects way too many people, and that is a devastating reality, but the amazing researchers and doctors at the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, and all the other Cancer research centres around the world, are making progress. The number of new treatments we heard about, or new research currently in clinical trials, makes me hopeful. As does the $20 million. I got involved with this weekend because I wanted to give back, and I came out of it with gratitude and respect and love for all the people who pour their hearts and souls into this cause, into this ride, and into conquering cancer in OUR LIFETIME!

A special shout out to everyone who donated to my fundraising efforts for this ride, that $20 million is all you! And how could I forget to thank my mom! Who slept in a tent and got up at 4am to support me on this journey! <3 

See you all at the ride in 2015?!

Gratefully yours,

Jaime Ariella

Week Ten: Sisters make you happier

Between my younger sister's birthday a few weeks ago, and Family Day yesterday, I thought I would dedicate this week's blog to my sisters, for whom I am profoundly thankful!

Growing up as the middle child in a family of three girls wasn't always a cup of tea. Between crying that my older sister wouldn't let me play with her and her friends, and yelling at my little sister to get out of my room (and stop picking my lock), I feel bad for my mom in retrospect. She would always tell us that one day we would be thankful for each other, but I really just thought she was saying it to get some peace and quiet. 

(my fave pic of us from the 90s)

Imagine my surprise when I recently read an article about a study stating that growing up with at least one female sibling has a profoundly positive impact on the life of the person with the sister, as well as the family as a whole. According to this study having a sister makes you happier, more optimistic, able to handle problems better, able to communicate more openly, and makes you more independent. And I thought my mom was just making things up! Sorry mom!

(and a more recent photo of us)

Even before reading that article, I have grown up to really appreciate my sisters and love spending time with them. Sisters, I love you to the moon and back, and I don't know what I would do without you! Thank you for making me who I am today, stronger for having fought with you, more caring for having been loved by you, and more able to take on the world.

If you have a sister, or if like me you are lucky enough to have more than one, consider yourself lucky! And if you don't, you can borrow one of mine any day!

Gratefully yours,

Jaime Ariella

Week Nine: Three cheers for the blog!

Three separate people (only one being a member of my immediate family) asked  me in the last week how my blog was going, and I think we all know the answer. Like so many other things we start with good intentions, life got in the way and my weekly posts fell by the wayside. Well, my friends, it is a new year and the blog is back!

So this week, I am thankful for supportive people in my life. Stephen, Laura, Mom, and anyone else who has asked about my blog, and everyone who has supported and encouraged me since the inception of this blog, thank you! Thank you for being supportive of me in my blog, and in everything else. I am truly lucky to have such supportive people in my life.

Over the holidays a friend was visiting from out of town and we went for brunch on a miserable rainy day. Somehow I got to talking about how I envied those people who always looked so put together even when they were carrying a million parcels, were bundled up, and were doing more than one thing at a time. I envy those people because I always feel like a hot mess when doing even half of that. My friend looked at me like I was crazy and said "Are you kidding me?! You're the most put together person I know. I almost didn't wear this sweater today because I knew you would be so much more put together!" This comment shocked me and made me think about how I really never thought of myself as put together, but none the less a supportive/encouraging comment from a friend can make me feel so much better about myself.

So while I am not only thankful for the supportive words of my friends, I have made it one of my new years resolutions to "tell people things they do not often hear". Just one way I can pay forward the unexpected support and encouragement I got from my friend on the best gloomy Saturday.

Here's hoping you all pay it forward this week and say something supportive/encouraging that your friend/family member doesn't often but deserves to hear about themselves!

Gratefully yours,