In the summer of 2023, Troy will be completing a 3.8K swim, 180K bike ride and 42.2K run at Ironman Mont-Tremblant and Emily will be completing a half-Ironman; a 1.9K swim, 90K bike ride and 21.1K run at Ironman 70.3 Muskoka.

We are raising money for patient care at the Spinal/Neurosurgery Inpatient Unit within the Krembil Brain Institute at Toronto Western Hospital. Troy's sister, Lauren, has had over 60 hours of surgery there because of a rare tumor called Giant Cell Tumor of Bone that destroyed her spine. This tumor only affects one in a million people and required a large team of medical experts at Toronto Western Hospital to remove it and rebuild her spine, ultimately saving her life. Due to the complexity of the tumor, we learned that only two surgeons would take her case on. Through this year-long battle, she spent eight months in hospital and inspired those around her with her strength and positivity.  The money raised will go towards helping others who are in a similar situation.

Here's a bit of Lauren's story from her:

"My journey started in March of 2020 when I started experiencing back pain while working from home. After this pain progressed, I went to see a few doctors who figured it was because my workstation wasn't ergonomically-friendly. I then went to see a chiropractor who was very concerned with the amount of pain I was in. I was able to get in for an MRI with her recommendation and within a few hours, I received a call from my doctor saying they found a large mass on my spine. After my biopsy, I was diagnosed with an incredibly rare, aggressive tumor called Giant Cell Tumor of Bone. After being treated for a year under the care of a sarcoma oncologist, my tumor removal surgery was scheduled for August 5, 2021 and was expected to be over 20 hours. That morning, I walked through the operating room doors unaware of the complications I would run into on the other side. What I thought was going to be three weeks in the hospital turned out to be eight months. What I thought was going to be one complex surgery turned out to be seven. Because of nerve damage, I lost my ability to swallow, speak, and use my arms and hands. I fought many infections that affected my lungs, stomach, and spine. My surgeon referred to my tumor during one of our first meetings as a "beast", and that couldn't be more accurate! When I look at how far I've come, I've made tremendous progress thanks to my support network, parents, and medical team. Even though the beast is gone, he's left his mark with permanent nerve damage. I have lost a significant amount of strength and movement in my hands and will require future surgeries to help with this. Even though I am still recovering, I want to continue inspiring others that are in difficult medical situations and provide hope that it can get better."

There is a video on the page with more details. Thank you for your support!