30 years of horizon

My name is Jeff and when I was 15 years old I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia. I was treated with chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant with my younger brother as the donor. At some point shortly after my treatment I was approached about joining a trip with the Tip of the Toes Foundation. I’d never heard of them but I love the outdoors, camping and canoeing and the adventure on the George River was all that and so much more!

My treatment had left me with damaged lungs and reduced lung function, so the trip was quite challenging for me at times but was also certainly one of the most unique and memorable experiences of my life. We flew in on a tiny pontoon plane, slept in teepees, canoed through a remote and beautiful landscape, were well taken care of by the Inou guides, and to top it all off there was also a film crew documenting the whole journey. It truly was a trip of a lifetime and I will always be grateful for having had that experience, seeing that part of Canada and sharing it with so many wonderful people, some of whom I’m still in touch with today 20 years later! The Tip of the Toes Foundation will always have a special place in my heart.