PROUD TO SUPPORT THE TOZER WESTERN RECIPIENT 2ND QUARTER 2023

Brokers Who Care • June 12, 2023

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $3,000 to the Tozer and family, our Western Recipient of the 2nd Quarter 2023 vote.

Thank you to Tracy Head for bringing this Cause to our attention.

The Nomination Story:

Robin and Lonna met in 2016. They had both been searching for their person, the one to start a family with and build a future together. In 2017 they married and started their family pretty much right away. They were overjoyed when Riley arrived in 2018.

Riley was barely one when Lonna was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She had three surgeries to remove the cancer and was given the all-clear. Unsure if they were able to conceive another child, a fertility clinic was consulted in which only a 2% chance was given to have a sibling for Riley. Nothing short of a miracle occurred when Lonna and Robin were informed that they were to expect twins although sadly one was lost during pregnancy. They were so overjoyed when Logan arrived that Lonna fondly referred to as her rainbow baby in 2021. Their joy was overshadowed in 2022 when Logan was barely one and Lonna was again diagnosed with cancer, this time an aggressive form of cervical cancer.

Lonna underwent a radical hysterectomy in early 2022 and her medical team was optimistic that they had gotten all of the cancer at the time. While Lonna was recovering from her surgery, Logan started having Febrile seizures. He was admitted for multiple overnight hospital stays while his doctors tried to determine why he was having the seizures.
2022 was a blur of hospital stays, medications, and treatments for both Lonna and Logan. In the fall doctors found more tumors growing and spreading throughout Lonna’s lower body. Her cancer treatment team decided that chemo and radiation therapy was the best option to try to stop this rapidly growing cancer that had spread into her bladder and bowels. Complications from this treatment and spread required her to have an ostomy bag put in place to mitigate infections from bowel perforations.

Lonna suffered complication after complication and infection after infection. In early 2023 scans revealed that the tumors were still growing and the cancer had now spread to a lung which lead her oncologist prognosis to determine that she now had a low probability of surviving. In a desperate last attempt to save her life, Lonna was set to receive immunotherapy and a more aggressive form of chemotherapy. She was able to do 4 rounds of immunotherapy but was not able to undergo any more chemotherapy due to numerous infections which landed her almost all of 2023 in the hospital. There was a glimmer of hope in March as for the first time, recent scans showed very little tumor growth.

Sadly Lonna passed suddenly in April.

In the midst of this Robin lost his job. It was a mixed blessing as this allowed him to care for Lonna and the boys, but reality is that he has a mortgage payment and bills to pay.

Robin cannot go back to work yet as the doctors are still trying to sort out what is causing Logan’s seizures. He mentioned that he is afraid to sleep at night as several of the seizures have happened in the middle of the night. Robin and Lonna were careful savers so had a nest egg to draw on. After four years of heartache fighting the cancer and the ongoing concern of caring for Logan funds are getting tight. They had not asked for any financial help all the way through Lonna’s cancer battles but the time has come that they need some support.

Robin needs to be there for the boys as they navigate their new reality. His work had been in Fort MacMurray (16 hours away from home in West Kelowna) and there is no way that he can leave the boys. With the seizures that Logan is experiencing Robin needs to be with the boys 24/7 for the foreseeable future.

Choosing to support the Tozer family will help Robin be able to stay at home with the boys as long as possible.

Check out these links: https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Kelowna/Kelowna_woman_loses_battle_with_cancer/

Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-tozer-family?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined

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PROUD TO SUPPORT Crystal Richelle & Glen Gordon Spark RECIPIENT 4TH QUARTER 2024

By Brokers Who Care • December 11, 2024

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Crystal Richelle & Glen Gordon Spark , our Recipient of the 4th Quarter 2024 vote. Thank you Carmela Addante for bringing this Cause to our attention. Their Story: The Sparks family is enduring immense financial and emotional strain due to Glen’s ongoing health challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, treatments, and a recent spinal surgery to address a fracture. His recovery will require at least six weeks, during which family support is critical. Glen, despite his severe symptoms, continues to manage his self-employed business whenever possible, even from his hospital bed. However, his reduced capacity has significantly impacted the family's income. Crystal works at a local preschool but has had to take time off to care for Glen and manage his appointments, leaving her unable to fully meet the household’s financial needs. The family, including their three children, is working tirelessly to maintain stability—balancing school, work, and providing care. Unfortunately, they are now two mortgage payments behind, with overdue utility bills on payment plans, and their mortgage renewal is looming in February. Their situation worsened recently when their daughter was involved in a car accident, totaling the second family vehicle. Thankfully, everyone is unharmed, but the loss of the car adds to their challenges. The vehicle was essential for Glen’s medical appointments and the daughter’s job. Crystal is overwhelmed, trying to hold everything together under these crushing circumstances. This grant would provide vital relief, covering overdue expenses to secure their mortgage renewal, and help stabilize their finances during this difficult time. Supporting the Sparks family now will ensure they can focus on recovery and rebuilding without the constant weight of financial uncertainty. Thank you for considering this family in their time of need.

PROUD TO SUPPORT Jaden Marchand’s Recovery RECIPIENT 4TH QUARTER 2024

By Brokers Who Care • December 11, 2024

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Jaden Marchand’s Recovery , our Recipient of the 4th Quarter 2024 vote. Thank you Deborah Hall for bringing this Cause to our attention. Their Story: In 2021, Jaden suffered a severe anoxic brain injury on just his fourth day at a new job at the age of 21. Initially, doctors at Sunnybrook Trauma Centre told his family he would never recover and suggested organ donation. But slight signs of progress gave them hope, and they chose to fight for Jaden’s recovery. Due to limitations in Canadian rehabilitation programs, Jaden’s family sought alternatives. In June 2022, he underwent five months of intensive therapy at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, where he made significant strides. However, his progress plateaued with community rehab upon returning home. Now, Jaden’s family has found a promising new treatment with Dr. Crawford in Austin, Texas, a functional neurologist specializing in repairing the central nervous system. During an initial consult, Jaden responded well to innovative therapies like PRP stem cell treatment, which aims to help the brain form new neural pathways. To pursue this life-changing treatment, the family needs $53,000 USD for a one-month stay in Austin. They are working tirelessly to raise the funds and give Jaden his best chance at further recovery. Every contribution helps bring them closer to this goal.

PROUD TO SUPPORT Kim S RECIPIENT 3RD QUARTER 2024

By Kirista Berry • August 14, 2024

Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Kim S, our Recipient of the 3rd Quarter 2024 vote. Thank you Sabeena Bubber for bringing this Cause to our attention. Their Story: Kim is a member of our mortgage family. She was trying to get a divorce and her ex husband tried to kill her because of it. In the process, when he fled, he took his own life. Kim is trying to pick up the pieces for her and her 3 daughters they shared. With the ex now being deceased she has no financial support in the way of child or spousal and now has to battle his executor to divorce from his estate and get what’s rightfully hers and the girls. She has two attorneys she has to pay; a divorce attorney and an estate attorney. He was the primary income earner. Her ex-mother in law is blaming her for his death and does not want her to receive the funds. She is also looking at having to go for reconstructive surgery for the nerve damage in her face plus counselling for the children all while being self employed and supporting three young girls. There has been an outpouring of support from many people in our industry. Let's show her that Brokers Who Care will help her to get through.