17th
It’s ALL about the kids! (by Rina Nelson)
During this ride we get daily reminders of why we are all here. Our morning dedications are stories of children who have fought and won, children who continue to fight and unfortunately, stories of children who have lost the fight. For many riders, Josh is a constant reminder of why they are here. He has become their “poster child”.
We learned yesterday that the survival rate of children with cancer has significantly increased over the past decade. However, many of these children will experience many long term side effects from their treatment. In Josh’s case, complications from his surgery have left him unable to walk and his ability to speak clearly and quickly has been compromised. The chemo, although effective in killing his tumour, has also affected his hearing. He now has cataracts in both eyes and will eventually require surgery. The 31 radiation treatments to the back of his head have left him with no hair to cover the obvious scar left from his surgery. His growth has been altered due to his treatments and he will probably not surpass 5 feet tall. Even after all this, he has never once asked “why me?” And although this is Josh’s story, there are many more Josh’s out there with a similar story. These children are ambassadors for the cause.
ABOUT YESTERDAY’S RIDE:
It was a very busy day and one filled with excitement. This was the closest to home we’ve been and we knew that after 12 days we would finally see our family today so we were very excited.
We started the day in Barrie and our good friend Paul and a number of SNKCR alumni joined Josh in a ride along from Barrie to Toronto. As usual, there were a variety of smaller stops along the way with one main stop at Sherway Gardens for lunch. The motorcycle police escort to Dundas Square along Lakeshore was amazing and very much appreciated in the downtown traffic.
Our family and friends came out to Dundas Square to show their support and it brought a tear to my eye to see how excited Josh was to see Kyle and AJ. He threw his arms open and greeted them both with a huge hug. Like most brothers, they have their little spats but we know how much they love and support eachother.
Dundas Square was buzzing with activity and after a quick snack, the National Riders joined other participants in the Inside Ride. Josh joined the Ambassador team with Brandon, Hannah and Adam.
Yesterday was a day filled with ambassadors. Adam M., Brandon, Alexandra, Hannah, Adam F., Isabella. HTO Park was crowded with children and their families who had come out to commemorate National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with the lighting of the CN Tower in gold. Many stopped to congratulate Josh on his determination and inspiration. Complete strangers stopped to let him know that they’ve been following his story. Others asked if they could have their child’s picture taken with him. And some stopped to share their own child’s story. This is what this journey is all about for Josh – raising hope and awareness for a cause that’s so close to his heart.
