Believe

Less than a week until Shania's 4th annual fun fair! Where does the time go? Winter just flew by, maybe because of the mild weather I don't know. But here we are, 5 days before another family fun filled day for all. I checked the last time I updated Shania's blog and was shocked that it was in November. I would like to apologize for that, this is entirely my fault. So much has happened in the last five months and I will try to update as much as possible, But first I would like to focus on the here and now! Shania's fun fair just keeps getting bigger and better each year, we are adding on another building this year because we wouldn't have enough room for everything planned. Some of the new additions this year that we would like to thank for donating their time and effort for this great cause are the" Teddy Bear Clinic" from The Hospital for Sick Children, Leanne Brister, Jessica Miller, Andrea Hoover, Laura Walter and Kate Lynch child life specialists at the hospital are setting up a teddy bear hospital. The kids get a teddy bear, name it and decide what kind of illness it has, they get their picture with it and go through the hospital scenario talking to the doctors, x-rays, casts, bandages ect... as required for their injury, it's quite cute and the kids love it. Shania and Shannon did it at another SickKids fund raiser we went to and Shannon still has hers and Shania's bears with certificates, I think they really bond with their sick bears not unlike parents do with our loved children when they get sick and end up at this great hospital! Also a Medieval re-enactment club from a land far far away in the empire of York Region, by the title of Ealdormere will be duelling and battling for the honour of Shania's cause. Hopefully they won't end up in the teddy bear clinic needing medical assistance. Next to that we will have a inflatable called gladiator joist, which the kids get two big Q-tips and stand on pedestals and battle to the death or somewhere there abouts, again hopefully no teddy bear clinic visits for repairs either. Cody Bonnell and Melanie Mah from the show "So you think you can dance", will be performing and signing autographs, Steve Emmens the mesmerizing magician will be there, Tim Holland the hilarious ventriloquist/puppeteer and the "Wonderful World of Circus", "AB Dance", "Markham Gymnastics Club" are back by popular demand!

At 2:oo Pm Stacey & Dyson of Dyson Bruce hair studio will be cutting ten inches or more of hair off of and styling eight incredible young ladies whom are donating their hair to make wigs for children losing their hair from chemo treatments. Shannon and Claire did this last year and I can't say enough about how much this gift means to these children losing their hair, it's one of the most traumatic things of many that they have to deal with, especially girls! So in my books these young ladies are angels to these kids. Hopefully some day in the near future we will have less invasive treatments so that things like this won't happen. And that is where the research comes in. They are also fund raising for Shania's dream to find a cure! The picture of them is from the Economist & Sun newspaper. There names are Holly Dyson, Meredith Ward, Lauren Omoto, Rachel Ruffo, Ella Grammatikos, Emily Reardon, Lee Walduck and not in the picture above is Jessica Higgins. Please give generously and support their fund raising efforts : ) The link is www.sickkidsfoundation.com and click on (find a fundraiser) put their last name in and this will get you to their web pages.

We went to a lovely memorial last Sunday that SickKids does each year for families that have lost a child. It brought back a lot of memories of Shania and on the way home Shannon asked how Shania broke her arm when she was fifteen months old. (she fell running around playing kitchen in the living room, she had a play spatula in her hand) Shannon then asked if we still have the tiny cast still. Shania had it in her treasure chest of all things. So when we got home Shan wanted to see it, we opened it up and found this tiny purple four inch long cast. Also in Shania's chest was a laminated card that has a poem on it. Here's how the poem goes.

Believe

When somebody believes in you,

Just watch what you can do,

Climb for the very highest peak,

The greatest point of view.

It's all an inward struggle and

Belief can pull you through,

Especially if you believe in you.

When somebody believes in you,

Your attitude is great,

You live to run a classy race,

Right from the starting gate.

Though certain fans can give you strength,

a special one or two,

The strongest fan you'll ever need, is you.

Decide upon a worthy goal,

Then set about the task,

Not questioning the work involved,

'Cause winners never ask,

Believe that all things may be won,

Because my friend, that's true,

If only you can first believe, in you.

We are off to meet Bianca Teixeira from CTV, she is the MC for this years event.

We will always Believe in you Shania we will we will!

Love Shayne, Karen and Shannon