Please consider supporting ANAC – a small charity whose cause if very close to my heart! This year, I will be spreading my steps over the weeklong event. From October 5 to 12, I will be walking/hiking/biking daily (rain or shine). Please reach out if you'd like to join "Team Sassy Fierce"!
Every little bit counts! Whether you decide to join my team, donate to my fundraising page, or help me spread the word by sharing my link, you will be making a difference.
Why am I walking?
"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"
When I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma in December 2019, followed by brain surgery just two short months later, little did I know it would change my life forever. Completely unprepared for the difficult journey ahead, I was faced with numerous post-op complications. Among the toughest challenges have been the cognitive and emotional impacts, making a return to my former career feel like an insurmountable feat.
I’ve grieved many losses — my hearing (I’m now single-sided deaf), my smile (which I’ve accepted will never return to the way it was), my once impeccable balance (I was a figure skater in my youth!), and the career I worked so hard to achieve. These losses have touched every part of my life, even changing how I interact with others.
Yet, in letting go of the daily grind of my old life, I’ve gained so much more! I now have a job I love, an entire community I’m so grateful to be a part of, and most importantly, more time with my family! It’s hard to believe nearly five years have passed since this journey began.
Today, I am proud to serve an organization whose mission is close to my heart: providing accurate, up-to-date information and ongoing support to individuals with acoustic neuroma and their families, improving their quality of life.
Why do we fundraise? The reason is twofold:
1) We need to fund our mission! As a non-profit charity, we depend on memberships and donations as our primary source of revenue. All funds raised go directly towards our valuable members' services including: support groups, one-on-one peer support, education events (i.e., webinars and symposiums), access to expert advice through our Medical Advisory Committee, website resources, and our very own publication, The Connection newsletter.
2) We need to raise awareness! As a rare disease, acoustic neuroma is not well recognized leading to delayed or misdiagnosis. Early detection means better quality-of-life treatment options for those diagnosed, making awareness of acoustic neuroma and its symptoms so important! We also need to raise awareness about ANAC's very existence so that those diagnosed know where they can turn to for support and resources to help them navigate this difficult journey.
With gratitude,
Michelle
Honour Roll
Gaetanne Barton
Nov 3, 2024
Ontario, CA
Cindy Zhang
Oct 29, 2024
Ontario, CA
Bruce Hogg
Oct 24, 2024
Ontario, CA
Mike Cooke
Oct 17, 2024
Ontario, CA
Reza Rabiei
Oct 16, 2024
Ontario, CA
Michael Brochu
Oct 14, 2024
Ontario, CA
Nicole Fabbro
Oct 14, 2024
Ontario, CA
Holly Dzuba
Oct 13, 2024
Ontario, CA
“Michelle, you are truly an inspiration to our family!! Love from Dorothy, Tom, Alice wnd Christina”
Dorothy Kowpak
Oct 13, 2024
Ontario, CA
Scott Gillespie
Oct 12, 2024
Alberta, CA
“Thank you for all your hard work on our behalf, Michelle!”
Caroline Bradfield
Oct 12, 2024
British Columbia, CA
Laura Hurley
Oct 12, 2024
Ontario, CA
Anonymous
Oct 12, 2024
Ontario, CA
Foster Gillespie
Oct 12, 2024
Ontario, CA
Susan Chatland
Oct 12, 2024
Ontario, CA
Michele Bliss
Oct 11, 2024
Ontario, CA
“well done, Michelle!”
Lucille Narun
Oct 11, 2024
Ontario, CA
“Go Michelle!”
Stuart David
Oct 10, 2024
Ontario, CA
James Mudge
Oct 10, 2024
Ontario, CA
Brent Craig
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
Ivan Dimitrov
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
“You are very brave lady. I already knew your story. Ryan is my colleague at workplace.”
Shahid Khan
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
Andrew Meikle
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
Damon Delong
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
Jeff Wells
Oct 9, 2024
Ontario, CA
“You are an inspiration to us all! Thank you”
Ryan Gillespie
Oct 8, 2024
Ontario, CA
Debbie Thom
Oct 8, 2024
Ontario, CA
Stephen McDougall
Oct 7, 2024
Ontario, CA
Heather Brassem
Oct 7, 2024
Ontario, CA
Shannon Petrovic
Oct 4, 2024
Ontario, CA
Cristina Wieladek
Oct 2, 2024
Ontario, CA
Martin Downie
Sep 25, 2024
Ontario, CA
Yang Wang
Sep 24, 2024
Ontario, CA
Cara Goulding
Sep 24, 2024
Ontario, CA
Anonymous
Sep 24, 2024
Ontario, CA
Jillian Leblanc
Sep 23, 2024
Ontario, CA
Siobhan Tobin
Sep 23, 2024
Ontario, CA
“keep up the amazing work!”
Michelle Gaulin
Sep 23, 2024
Ontario, CA
Jesse Lazarich
Sep 23, 2024
Ontario, CA
“You're always an inspiration and such a beautiful human!!”
Stefanie Gerke
Sep 23, 2024
Ontario, CA
Anonymous
Sep 22, 2024
Ontario, CA
Anonymous
Aug 29, 2024
Ontario, CA
Dave and Joan Adams
Aug 13, 2024
Ontario, CA
$3,840
$2,000
Ontario, Canada
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