Leanne Brown
- National: N/A
- Province: N/A in ON
- My Team: N/A
I'm Riding For
Dr Marilyn Sonley
To the woman who saved not only my life, but the lives of many other of the first generation childhood cancer survivors. She started the oncology department at Sick Kids, did early research, and mentored the next generation of doctors. This year, I am choosing to honour her memory by supporting the department which she began, a department that is responsible for thousands of children's lives saved.
My Story
When I was 11 months old I was rushed to Sick Kids hospital in Toronto in respiratory distress. They found a large mass wrapped around my spinal cord crushing my trachea, and I was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma- cancer of the sympathetic nervous system. Back then Sick Kids was the only place in Ontario that kids with cancer could be treated. My parents were told the survival rate was 5%, and if I survived I would likely be paralyzed.
I received surgery and cobalt-60 (cobalt bomb) radiation therapy, and then was followed by the oncology team and many different specialists on the Sick Kids team until I graduated to after care at 18.
Research has come a long way since then, but we need more. We need better, safer, more effective treatments. Even the children who survive will face life long side effects from treatment. I am riding 500km to raise money to help further the great work Sick Kids is doing, and to allow even more kids to write stories like mine when they are well into adulthood. Anything helps, thank you!
My Legacy
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412 km RiddenRaised2019
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476 km Ridden$2,510 Raised2021
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539 km Ridden$3,269 Raised2022
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664 km Ridden$4,614 Raised2023
My Challenge
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23.8 km ride - Morning Ride - Saturday, May 4, 2024
Logged this ride 5 days ago - View on Strava