Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Shelly Thorpe and her daughter Heather, our Eastern Recipient of the 1st Quarter 2024 vote. Thank you to Monica Chrysler for bringing this Cause to our attention. The Nomination Story: Shelley experienced a tramatic birth of her daughter 26 years ago. Her daughter Heather had fetal distress and was without oxygen for several minutes leaving her with permanent brain damage. Heather has never walked, has never been able to sit up, or even feed heself. She is 100% at the mercy and dependent of others to care for her. She is aware of her surroundings, but trapped inside her body, trying to fit into society. Shelley has done everything a Mother could possibly give over the years, but her small home did not have the capacity to offer the care that Heather needed. When Heather turned 18, she went into a home care facility. Shortly afterwards the world turned upside down from the pandamic and Heather fell into a deep depression without having any visitors or even being able to get out for the day. Heather's immediate community worker has recently resigned, and she has been given an eviction notice from the facility as she is behind on her lodging and medical bills. Since Heather is in a special customized wheelchair, the only way she can travel is in a wheelchair assessible van, which they don't have funds for. Shelley and her daughter are extremely distraught because she is completely disabled and will soon have no where to live, unless they can catch up on these bills. Elevator pitch: Heather is unable to speak, walk, or take care of herself, but her spirit just loves to interact with others, or even hold the hand of a stranger. Heather and her Mom have been through so much, and now their difficult financial situation has landed an eviction notice from the lodging care facility she has been at for the past 4 years. Heather's brain damage at birth has left her at the mercy and care of others her entire life. The funds would help her to keep a roof over her head, continue with her care, and even help her to find a way to take a day trip out of the facility for even 1 day to the mall or beach this summer. She is trapped inside her own body, and her Mom has done everything a human can do to provide, but they need help....and I'm hoping and praying Brokers Who Care is the answer to their prayers....

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to The Nicholls Family, our Western Recipient of the 1st Quarter 2024 vote.  Thank you McKay Wood for bringing this Cause to our attention. Their Story: We were a happy and healthy family of four living in Lake Country. My husband Matt had started his own company in security system technology, I was a busy Mortgage Specialist and our two young children were going to preschool together. In July 2021 things took a turn once we noticed that our almost three year old daughter Rylie had developed a limp. This limp progressed and one day she wouldn’t put weight on her legs at all. After trips to two different emergency rooms, we were admitted to run further tests. Within a day and a half, we were being transported down to B.C. Children’s Hospital with an MRI showing significant disease in her skeleton. We found out on our seventh wedding anniversary, that our little girl, just shy of her 3rd birthday was diagnosed with Stage 4 aggressive Neuroblastoma. Our world stopped. Everything changed in that moment. Statistics showed that she only had a 50% chance of survival, and if she made it, would then have a 60% chance of relapse with minimal chance of survival. I had to advise my employer that I could no longer work as I had to care for my daughter full time. Our family decided to divide and conquer - my husband and my 4 year old autistic son at home, and Rylie and myself fighting for her life in Vancouver. She went through 18 months of intense, traumatic treatments for her cancer. This included 6 rounds of induction chemo, 12 rounds of radiation, multiple surgeries, two rounds of high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplants, a trip to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto for a month for high dose radiation contrast therapy, 6 months of immunotherapy and more. During her treatment we almost lost her a couple of times due to the treatment. But in January 2023 she rang the bell for being done treatment and cancer free. There wasn’t much joy however with the news as she had developed serious side effects during the treatment. Not only had she lost significant hearing, she wasn’t able to gain weight and had failure to thrive. The biggest concern however were her lungs. In November of 2022 she also lost her best friend Savanna, her twin flame who lost her life to the same cancer, Neuroblastoma. In 2023 even though she was done treatment, we were airlifted to Vancouver 5 times for lung related illnesses. We were able to go on her Make a Wish vacation in April before everything went downhill. In May, my children lost their grandmother, and I lost my mom. From cancer as well. She was only 66. The day after my mother’s funeral, Rylie and I were back in Vancouver for a lung biopsy to try to figure out what was going on. This procedure landed her in the PICU on life support and we were prepared that it may take her. But she pulled through. While we were in Vancouver recovering, my children’s other grandparents - my in-laws, lost their home in the Kelowna fires. This was devastating as their home was a safe place for my children. After Rylie’s stint in the PICU, we were able to make some more memories fortunately due to her resilience. We were able to go to cancer camp as a family, and celebrated her 5th birthday. She was also able to attend a few days of school in September. But by October, she was struggling more. And we were once again airlifted to Vancouver. Once she was strong enough she had a sedated CT, where we found out her lungs were in end stage failure. We made it to Canuck Place Hospice for some respite - but she knew it was her time. I told her Savanna and grandma were waiting and she took her last breath. Rylie’s life was remarkable. She is the poster child of B.C. Children’s hospital as her image is on buses, signs and all over social media. She battled every obstacle of her short life with grace. She is now at peace with no more treatments or hospital visits, but the rest of us will need a lifetime to recover. Rylie’s older brother Cameron by only 16 months has experienced more grief and loss these last couple years than any child should. And because of his grief he hasn’t been able to go back to school. He is needing counselling and therapies for his trauma. Matt’s still running his company but I haven’t been able to return back to work from being Rylie’s full time caregiver to her brother Cameron’s full time caregiver. We have experienced so much trauma and grief over the last couple years. But I do hope to use the heartache and grief and turn it into a life of advocacy, anwareness and philanthropy. I want to thank you all so much for taking my family into consideration.

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Michael Hallett, our Western Recipient of the 4th Quarter 2023 vote. Thank you to Dustan Woodhouse for bringing this Cause to our attention. The Nomination Story: Many of you know this name, because Michael is an active Broker who shows up for our community on the regular, just last month volunteering to be grilled one-on-one at a CMBABC event. This could be written as a heartbreaking submission… This could be written as a rallying cry, rah-rah, submission… But none of our hearts need any more breaking, and I can confirm that Michaels spirit is not breaking. Nor are the spirits of his wife & their 16yr old son. An accident on Aug 31 put Michael on his back, and in the hospital, where he remains for some time to come. Limited movement, a ventilator, and a long road ahead are the current reality. But, he’s alert, and he’s all there from the shoulders up, although communication is limited by our (variable) lip reading skills due to the ventilator. This experience is coming at the Hallet family hard & fast, with many unexpected costs, the physical, the emotional and of course the financial. As prepared as each of us thinks we are for whatever life throws our way, sometimes we could still use a hand. Family and friends have rallied, levels of support for Michael, and for one another, have been amazing – more than anyone would expect. A testament to how much Michael has given to those around him throughout his 47 years. And while the path forward isn't yet entirely clear, one thing is – his new path will be an expensive one. Michael has been an amazing face for the Brokering industry, he has made us all look good. Now is the time to say thank you in this wonderfully meaningful way. Please rally for Michael & his family.

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $3,500 to Houaida and Izzy, our Western Recipient of the 4th Quarter 2023 vote. Thank you to Crystal Mamchur for bringing this Cause to our attention. The Nomination Story: I am writing to nominate Houaida, a remarkable woman whose compassion and dedication have profoundly impacted the life of a young girl, Izzy (Isabelle) 12 years old. Houaida’s journey with Izzy began in the summer of 2016, when Izzy’s family moved next door. Houaida quickly bonded with Izzy, then five years old, and her mother, Brandy, who struggled with mental health issues and alcoholism. Despite Brandy’s efforts, her situation deteriorated, leading to multiple relocations and eventual homelessness. In January 2021, a critical moment arose when Izzy, in distress due to her mother’s condition, sought refuge with Houaida. What was planned as a temporary stay extended indefinitely as Brandy’s struggles continued. Houaida, recognizing the dire circumstances, stepped in to provide a stable and nurturing environment for Izzy, even securing legal guardianship to protect her. During this time, Izzy faced immense personal loss, including the passing of her grandparents and, tragically, her mother took her own life June 1st of this year. Through these hardships, Houaida has been a constant source of support and care for Izzy, who is now navigating the challenges of adolescence. Houaida’s commitment extends beyond emotional support. As an Indigenous child, Izzy faced the risk of being placed with an unfamiliar family if entered into the social services system. Houaida chose to care for Izzy independently, ensuring she remained in a familiar and loving environment. The challenges have been significant. Houaida lost her primary source of income earlier this year and has been striving to build a small business from home. Despite financial struggles, she prioritizes Izzy’s wellbeing, even at her own expense, and continues to care for their dog Bane, who has health issues. Houaida’s selflessness, resilience, and dedication to Izzy’s wellbeing make her an exceptional candidate for support from your organization. Her story is a testament to the power of compassion and the difference one person can make in the lives of others.

Kelsey is a mindfulness practitioner, yoga, instructor, and speaker. With a background in psychology, she worked as a mental health counsellor before completing her 200HR RYT yoga certification in 2015. In 2018, her life took a major shift when she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.  At 32 years old and a mother of two young boys, Kelsey went through a bilateral mastectomy, eight rounds of chemo therapy and 25 rounds of radiation, while chronicling her journey on social media. As Kelsey recorded her step-by-step cancer journey on Instagram, she created the hashtag #kindnesscures which encouraged people to go out into the world and do random acts of kindness. It was during this time that she discovered just how powerful her yoga practice was on the path to healing. Inspired to share her knowledge with others, Kelsey founded the Vibrant Yogi community. With online yoga classes, meditations and workshops, this group is an inspiring example of what can happen when we learn to make our well-being a priority. As a yogi, who had been through breast cancer herself, Kelsey understands the critical role that movement and mindfulness play in a persons well-being. Her doctors would tell her “Do Yoga!” but nearly all of the traditional, restorative yoga poses were extremely challenging post surgery/radiation. So, pairing with her passion for yoga, with her own experience, Kelsey started an online yoga class that she would provide free yoga session every morning at 10am. This was done for 60 days straight. When it was over people wanted more so she created a program with an all access pass. This was perfect for those yogis who are also craving a creative way to get back to their mats! She started the Get One Give One program to make sure these women have access to a supportive community, without having to worry about cost during this extremely challenging portion of their lives. With every vibrant Yogi purchase, she donates one year Vibrant Yogi app membership to a woman going through cancer. She also takes one dollar of every membership monthly and puts it towards a program she created which involves making kindness boxes and hand delivering them to women with cancer. During Kelsey’s chemotherapy, she did something called Cold Capping which is meant to preserve your hair during chemotherapy. Kelsey understands that when women go through chemotherapy and lose their hair, it's a loss of identity and femininity, along with the other stresses women go through during treatment. Cold capping is expensive and unattainable for many women going through treatment, so Kelsey has made it her mission to volunteer her time and proceeds to supporting and bringing cold capping to women. Kelsey has recently learned that her cancer has spread to other parts of her body. She now has stage 4 cancer in her lungs, her kidney and her liver. Regardless of recent developments, she continues to spread kindness into the world and posts on social media about love, positively and the importance of creating memories with your loved ones to continue the legacy she began at the onset of her cancer journey. Her husband Ryan has taken the next 6 months off of being a grade 5 teacher to be with his family during this small amount of time Kelsey has left. For all of the above reasons, it is why I nominate Kelsey Carignan and her family as they are most deserving of support to continue to put this kindness and positivity into our world.