A Vancouver woman plans to cycle across British Columbia this September, raising funds and awareness for Canuck Place Children\u2019s Hospice.<\/p>\n
Mireille Larosa first connected with the Canuck Place Children\u2019s Hospice in 2017 when her seven-month-old son, Charles, accessed pediatric palliative care.<\/p>\n
The non-profit provided her family with in-hospice care and at-home medical care and offered invaluable bereavement support.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know of the existence of this hospice, and frankly, no one wants to know of the existence of this hospice \u2014 until you need it,\u201d Larosa told CityNews.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey would just do it all for us \u2014 and think of things, most importantly, that we would have never thought of. That\u2019s what they were there for. When such a diagnosis falls, that your child has a terminally ill disease, well, there\u2019s a lot to think about, but you want to focus on your child and the time you have with them, and they fill in all the blanks.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a difficult journey of grief, she\u2019s now looking to give back in a big way.<\/p>\n
Larosa will be cycling across British Columbia in a two-week ride, dubbed \u2018Tour de Canuck Place,\u2019 with the goal of raising $100,000 for the hospice while highlighting the vital services it provides to families.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to give a legacy to Charles\u2019 name,\u201d said Larosa.<\/p>\n
Her ride begins on Sept. 1 in Earls Cove. The plan is to cycle 150 kilometres every day, taking her across to Vancouver Island and towards Chilliwack before heading to the Interior and travelling to Merritt, meeting other Canuck Place families along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what they\u2019ve been through. I know my version of what they\u2019ve been through, and they\u2019re not alone. I\u2019m there with them, and I\u2019m willing to go the distance. The same way that Canuck Place goes the distance, and meets families where they are, to provide them with the assistance they need.\u201d<\/p>\n