PROUD TO SUPPORT EMMA'S MUM - REGAN, WESTERN RECIPIENT 2ND QUARTER 2022

Brokers Who Care • July 14, 2022

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Emma's Mum - Regan, our Western Recipient of the 2nd Quarter 2022 vote.

Thank you to Sabeena Bubber for bringing this Cause to our attention.

The following note of thanks was received from Emma's Mum, Regan.

Dear Brokers Who Care,

I want to express my sincere gratitude to you for your very generous gift. It is a lot to take in and we are overwhelmed with your kindness and moved by your support.

As you may know, I am a single mother to three young adults; Aidan, Liam and Emma. They all live at home and are actively pursuing post secondary education. Sadly, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma which is an incurable blood cancer. The cancer caused me to have several vertebral fractures which has greatly limited my ability to provide basic care and household needs for myself or my family. In October 2021 I had a stem cell transplant and have been unable to work since. As the sole provider for my children, this diagnosis has been devastating and I have worried about meeting my financial obligations. On top of not having the same income, there have been so many unanticipated expenses associated with this cancer, medical aids, medication etc that are not covered by my health plan.

When Sabeena called me with the wonderful news I was in a terrible place. Not only was I feeling the effects of treatment and loss of independence, I hadn’t had any income for months, my recliner that I had to buy as I was unable to sleep in my bed broke and I couldn’t see any way out of a downward spiral of financial stress.

Your gift has helped to ease this burden. I am able to focus on my health and well-being by not feeling bogged down by stress. Please know that I will use this money wisely to help cover my medical needs. I will also be buying a recliner so I can sleep again.

Thank-you also for teaching my children the value of community. They have seen first hand how the kindness of others can help remove stress and worry enormously. I have asked them all to pay it forward when they are in a financial position to do so as will I.

From the bottom of my heart, thank-you. Your support has helped to lift us up in the moment we most needed it. It truly means the world to me and my family.

We are deeply grateful for you.

Regan

Nomination Story

Recent Update: Emma's mum recently underwent a bone marrow transplant to try and save her from this terrible disease but is still very sick.

This Go Fund Me Page was started by my client's daughter. My client is a very private person but she is in desperate need of help. I helped her a little over a year ago move into a new home. She worked so hard to provide the right property to live in and to provide a safe place for her and her three kids. She is a single parent and became very sick shortly after she took possession of her new place. Here are the comments from her daughter Emma who started the Go Fund me Page to help her Mom.

Hi, my name is Emma and I'm organizing this fundraiser with my school counsellor, Ms. Hogan, on behalf of my mum. I want to start by saying how thankful my family and I are for all the people who have sent their love and support during these difficult times.

As a family, we have kept my mum's diagnosis quite private until we were able to come to terms with everything. In April 2021, my mum was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a type of non-curable blood cancer that is rooted within the plasma cells. This was discovered after suffering tremendous pain for months prior from 7 compression fractures in her thoracic and lumbar spine, which have left her with lingering mobility issues. On average, patients with Multiple Myeloma live 5-7 years after their diagnosis.

Although this cancer is non-curable at this day in age, it is treatable. My mum has been doing chemotherapy and bone building infusions since April, with the hope of having a stem cell transplant in September 2021 to restart her immunity. Unfortunately, she was very sick last month and had to have two unexpected surgeries which led to many complications. Due to this, her stem cell transplant was delayed to mid October. Last week, she was commuting to Vancouver General Hospital every day for many appointments such as receiving injections to increase her stem cell count, having a central line put in due to frail veins, and beginning the collection of stem cells where they were being spun, frozen, and renewed.

Early this week, my mum will receive a very high dose of chemotherapy with the goal to kill off everything. The downside is that it kills all good and bad which will leave her with zero immunity. They will then go ahead with the transplant putting the stem cells back and hoping they graft.

The hope of this fundraiser is to relieve some of the financial burden which my mum is feeling as she goes through this treatment. Post transplant, she will be staying at the Jean C Barber Lodge Cancer Society facility for a month with 24-hour care giving and monitoring as she will be very weak. It is $116 per night for both her and my older brother to stay, with a possibility of totaling up to $6,000. Thankfully, my mum’s insurance covered most of the expenses for the medicine needed for this procedure, however, some support with mobility equipment expenses is something we would greatly appreciate. It is a long road to recovery and the future is very uncertain at this point. She will be off work for roughly 3-6 months.

Being a single mum of 3, (Emma, 17, Liam, 20, Aidan, 22), I have seen her struggle before, but this has been 10 times harder. She has given her entire life for us, so it is only fair that I do everything in my power to help her. Some may say that their mum is strong, but they will never know the true value of saying it and fully meaning it. I say with everything in my heart that my mum is strong. If I could wish for one thing in the world, I would wish for a magical cure, but not even that would be equal to the number of things that she has done for me. Since the day she brought me into this world, she has been my rock and my person, which is why I feel so strongly to help her. My mum doesn’t want cancer to be what defines her and would still like to keep aspects of our life private. It took a lot to convince her to allow me to move forward with this, but we are in a place where we need your support. If you are able to help in any way, it will be greatly appreciated and mean the absolute world to my family. Thank you!

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PROUD TO SUPPORT Christine Buemann RECIPIENT 1ST QUARTER 2025

By Brokers Who Care • March 10, 2025

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Christine Buemann our Recipient of the 1ST Quarter 2025 vote. Thank you Sabeena Bubber for bringing this Cause to our attention. Christine Buemann has been a dedicated supporter of the mortgage industry and a well-respected figure among brokers across Canada. She has given so much to our community—now, it’s time for us to give back. In December 2022, Christine was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer that had already spread beyond her breast. She fought with everything she had, enduring surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation—all while navigating a painful marital breakup and caring for her two young sons. By March 2024, she celebrated being cancer-free. But just months later, in December, she was rushed to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed a 2 cm tumour in her brain. Christine was airlifted for emergency brain surgery, and while the tumour was successfully removed, the pathology confirmed it was metastatic—her cancer had reached Stage 4. Now, Christine faces another grueling battle. She is awaiting brain radiation and undergoing treatments to stop further spread. Her body is still recovering from the trauma of surgery, and she is being forced into menopause to slow the cancer’s progression. On top of everything, Christine just sold her home before discovering the tumor. She must move by April 1st and find stable housing for her and her boys—all while continuing out-of-town treatments and continuing to work to support her family. We are calling on Brokers Who Care and anyone who can help. Christine has given so much to our industry; now, let’s rally behind her. Let’s ease her financial burden so she can focus on what matters most—healing and being there for her children. Your support can make a difference. Let’s show Christine that we care. Vote for Christine.

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By Brokers Who Care • March 10, 2025

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PROUD TO SUPPORT Crystal Richelle & Glen Gordon Spark RECIPIENT 4TH QUARTER 2024

By Brokers Who Care • December 11, 2024

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Crystal Richelle & Glen Gordon Spark , our Recipient of the 4th Quarter 2024 vote. Thank you Carmela Addante for bringing this Cause to our attention. Their Story: The Sparks family is enduring immense financial and emotional strain due to Glen’s ongoing health challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, treatments, and a recent spinal surgery to address a fracture. His recovery will require at least six weeks, during which family support is critical. Glen, despite his severe symptoms, continues to manage his self-employed business whenever possible, even from his hospital bed. However, his reduced capacity has significantly impacted the family's income. Crystal works at a local preschool but has had to take time off to care for Glen and manage his appointments, leaving her unable to fully meet the household’s financial needs. The family, including their three children, is working tirelessly to maintain stability—balancing school, work, and providing care. Unfortunately, they are now two mortgage payments behind, with overdue utility bills on payment plans, and their mortgage renewal is looming in February. Their situation worsened recently when their daughter was involved in a car accident, totaling the second family vehicle. Thankfully, everyone is unharmed, but the loss of the car adds to their challenges. The vehicle was essential for Glen’s medical appointments and the daughter’s job. Crystal is overwhelmed, trying to hold everything together under these crushing circumstances. This grant would provide vital relief, covering overdue expenses to secure their mortgage renewal, and help stabilize their finances during this difficult time. Supporting the Sparks family now will ensure they can focus on recovery and rebuilding without the constant weight of financial uncertainty. Thank you for considering this family in their time of need.