Let this be YOUR beginning.
If you are still reading this blog, then you are keenly interested in what’s going on and “what’s next”. Well, use the inspiration you have gathered from this feat and take a personal step / role & or responsibility in making sure this legacy continues. YOU are what’s next. YOU dictate the pace and many YOU’s make light work because they turn into WE. Thank you in terms of action would mean a lot to us and we know there are capable people out there.
Act now while the light is on! Rally people to take action with you. After all, that’s exactly how this event metastasized into the epic proportions it has / did.
We have the relay idea and now we need regional and local leaders to continue to communicate and collaborate (again while the buzz is here) and pull something together. No shots at the JDRF, but like any charity and organization there is way to much red tape to get something moving with the degree of efficiency & effectiveness. Do not make the mistake of believing the JDRF will take this and run with it. The infrastructure must be created / set and put in place by a group of willing participants after which the JDRF lends the support they can. Hopefully next year, it will exceed the 07 support 20 fold.
In 08, we need cross the country, hitting all the major chapters. You already have a stationary cycling event in the curriculum and this should be amalgamated into the cross Canada cycle as well (it’s all the same kilometers) and would be a very easy add on. People can cycle inside, or people can cycle outside – but the scope of inclusion would be significant and the existing infrastructure may help expedite the organization.
Regardless, you need to tale responsibility and be the champion for this. No idea is a bad idea, we have the general scope of what we want to & can do and now its time to add a little infrastructure and “GO”!
To everyone, who cheered, blogged, supported, thought, prayed and helped the 2007 H2V event unfold, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
5 Comments:
The 'homecoming' was an amazing event for all - I have to admit to having a little tear in my eye when I saw you all appear around the corner. How appropriate that the sun appeared that morning to welcome you home.
I will not forget, and encourage others to remember and continue this for as long as it takes. I have close friends that are dying from this disease, and would like to see a cure.
- Lisa Steinson
What a home coming!
Great work everyone and wow what a great start of a legacy. I do not think that you really appreciate what you have done.
You have inspired a nation. You have brought a very worthy cause to the forefront and most importantly you are raising money to find a cure for a infliction that the children with type 1 juvenile diabetes have to live with currently.
Taylor you are very proud of your dad's accomplishment and you should be. Kyle you have turned a dream into reality with a group of dedicated friends and their supporters. I hope that a cure is found by the time Taylor reaches 18, but you can stand tall and know that you have brought a cure one step closer with (Tour De) H2V.
Taylor you have been an awesome spokesperson for the cause and I am sure your sugar levels have been all over the map during the H2V. Let’s hope that this can very soon be a thing of the past.
Ken Southam
Congrats guys ! What a ride, I just wish I could have been there every step of the way.
Thanks so much for starting this. We must now capitalize on this momentum and look forward to something bigger for '08.
Mike LeBlanc
Personal Relections on the “Ride of a Lifetime”
As with all great new technology, nothing goes completely to plan. My post was submitted earlier JUST as the internet capabilities went "non-existant" while we travelled the Coq. Hjghway! Perfect timing!! So.....i will attempt to re-post a new submission at this time.
How can mere words explain my emotions, reflections, my dreams, hopes, & prayers for the many, many JD afflicted individuals we met along the way & especially this H2V Team!
Many people asked me yesterday, (at the overwhelming "Coming Home Party" @ English Bay...thanks to Gail & Kris, & their awesome team) what was the most challenging aspect of the H2V Coast to Coast journey. Wow! I guess I could have said the close living quarters (6 in our motor home), missing my family, sleepless nights, trying to make new recipes for lunch & dinner with what was left over in the fridge, lack if showers for 3-4 days @ a time, ineffective toilet in our in the motor home, etc.........but I have to admit all these 'minor' inconveniences pale in comparison to the challenge of keeping my emotions under control as I met & spent time with all the families, especially the children all along our route, who suffer from Juvenile Diabetes.Their feelings of loneliness ("I feel like the only child in the world with JD"), isolation ("I have no friends @ school because they, & my teacher, don't understand my disease & treat me differently"), feeling different from the rest of society ("I can't play any sports or join teams because I'm sick"), sleepover @ a friends home (" I have too phone my Mom or Dad every 2 hours to make sure I'm okay",, My Mom has to come & pick my up because we can't control my sugars", etc.......... and the parents of these children frightened, tired & exhausted ("I was up all night because we were @ the hospital all night with our child"), wanting a 'normal' life ' for their child "all the worries, hopes, & dreams that a parent has for their child., "will she ever be normal........that's all we want"), lack of education & awareness ("we feel alone in our community...we try to explain the disease but people don't understand what we are going through"), "all I want is one good night's sleep, my husband & I haven't had one for 3 years when my daughter was diagnosed with JD") had one in. We are exhausted"...............As their tears flowed, I found myself crying with them while giving out big bear hugs to them all. Taylor Balagno was a true inspiration to all these children & was wonderful about talking to them & sharing similar stories about JD.
I so much wanted to tell them all that we had come with a CURE for JD & their life would once again be 'on track', but I couldn't. Not yet! I, as the other members of our team COULD relay hope, increased awareness, education & share our passion to find a cure through funding more research. We were reaching a lot of people all across Canada & that WILL make a difference. If everyone of you had joined in our experiences with these families, I know it would have changed your life forever, as it has mine.
Fortunate as I am to never have been touched by Juvenile Diabetes in my family, I realized after meeting & greeting so many caring Canadians (including Team H2V), my passion to find a cure is stronger than ever.
Team H2V!!! What can I say to ensure that everyone understands the incredibly selfless, caring, focused, passionate individuals that comprise this Team! These individuals, both en route & @ home (the "home team" was absolutely incredible & we couldn't have done this without their unwavering) support), are the most empowered, respected, honoured individuals in my eyes & my heart. Can you even imagine a group of such individuals putting their personal & business lives on hold for 9 months to pursue their passion of finding a cure for JD? Yes, many people can not do this & yet there is a way you can assist. Join groups to educate & heighten awareness about JD, organize fundraising events to raise more money for JD, & ensure that all your family, friends, & acquaintences are aware of the incredibly selfless acts of Team H2V (www.TeamH2V.com), headed by the 5 riders who did what they said they would do.....cross the country in 9 days (these guys did it in 8 **days!!), riding 24/7 in often unbelievably tough conditions. Matt Young (team captain, Kyle Balagno, Keith Nicholl, Richard Alm, & Willie Cromack are heroes to us all.
The next big challenge for me was living for 9 days in the same motorhome (24/7) with 5 of the 'hunkiest' guys you'll ever meet. Yawn......yes, it was tough (smile)! Matt ("Younger"), Richard ("Big Rich"), Alex ("Happy"), Curtis "Curti"), & Felix ( the senior member of our group who was always ready with a joke for us to enjoy). I could never have asked for a better group of guys to travel alongside. Passionate, considerate, ethical, compassionate, & caring, a possessing lot of integrity, these guys were simply "The Best of the Best". Just to let their families know, I have officially "adopted" them all!! You guys are welcome anytime!!
One more thing to add. Matt, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the honour of being on this Team. As our Team Captain you were incredible on this trip with everyone. We are all aware of the incredible amount of work you did before our epic journey with the other founding members of the Team & I want to Thank You from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to enjoy "The Best Ride of My Life"
Cheers & Hugs to the entire H2V Team!
Jan ("Scoodles" aka "Mama J.")
P.S. Carmen get that coffee cup ready!!.....j.
I am having H2V withdrawl symptoms, I was glued from day one until the end waiting for blog updates and watching the GPS hourly and now it seems like there is something missing.
The entire team are heroes but they have left some big shoes to fill but hopefully one or two of them maybe will use their expertise and leadership to maybe help organize some type future rides. I don't know what the future will bring but I am hopeful that someone will rise up and take a leadership role that in conjunction and cooperation with JDRF or the CDA we can bring more events such as H2V or a cross Canada trek to bring more awareness to diabetess.
Post a Comment
<< Home