Please support Christine Adela White’s RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER ®

Please support My Ride to Conquer Cancer ® in memory of Laura Jane White and Roberta (“Bobbie”) Kenney.

Click => RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER

The Ride to Conquer Cancer is a cause I incorporated into my platform as part of my participation in the Miss Universe Canada 2012 pageant. I am so honored to share that since my participation in MUC, there has been a resounding positive response from the community. It is such a rewarding feeling to know that others in my community feel the same way I do, and have decided to join me in my crusade against cancer. On a 270KM journey, you have no choice but to reflect on who you are, what you are doing, and why you are doing it. For myself, I learned to persevere, to break the shell of shock over the loss of my sister, and to do something positive in her memory. I am doing this for all the other “big sisters” who will grieve the loss of their younger sister – I want to show them strength, courage, and an infinite love as being forever and always the big sister who defends, protects, and loves her younger sister.

It is truly a meditative and enlightening experience that cannot be put into words, but I promise you – you will learn so much from the experience. It is one thing to have the “right thought” but it is another to execute the “right action.”

“Ideation without execution is simply delusion” – Robin Sharma

If actions truly speak louder than words, then trek on, trek on, trek on.

I ride for a cure; defined as: innovative equipment and drugs, perspective change on the part of the pharmaceutical industry, open-minded research (see Terry Fox Research Institute, Mayo Clinic).

I ride for a CURE, not the same drugs and procedures that have failed us time and time again.

=====

In memory of Roberta (“Bobbie”) Kenney — my friend and support during difficult times; a true woman of kindness and compassion. She is remembered as a veteran of the Marine US Corps. Thank you for your years of friendship and love.

======

In memory of Laura Jane White — my sister, a survivor of AML, who died from chemotherapy side effects, unsanitary conditions in the hospital, and miscommunication from the doctors.

======

A summary of Laura’s story:

Because she “hid her symptoms so well” a CT scan was not considered. That decision, and putting “protocol” before patient safety, led to Laura’s demise. A CT scan would have detected the ESBL Enterobacter “super bug” that eventually killed her. Who honestly in their right mind can justify someone’s death based on the belief that a patient hid their symptoms so well? She was in remission with “only” a bloating stomach — certainly, she was deemed stable in their eyes. Three weeks — from the day of admittance into the hospital to the day she died. Three weeks, and my family’s lives changed forever.

The head oncologist did not inform our family that he had gone away on vacation, which is understandable, everyone needs their time away; but what of the nutrition supplements we were promised to have been reviewed before Laura was permitted to take them? We knew her WBC count would be low due to the chemo drugs, hence why we wanted to take steps in making sure her immune system could replenish itself quickly. So many questions were left unanswered, forgotten – purposely or not.

One punctured lung and the development of pneumonia later, with a WBC of 0, she is pushed through “protocol” and continues on the chemo drugs. It was then believed that if we did not go through with protocol, the treatment could fail. In hindsight, I wish I had more say in the procedure. In other hospitals, the patient’s condition takes priority over protocol. What happened here? You punctured her lung, accidentally, during an operation to get a tube down her body to extract blood, yet you must continue with protocol? My sister is not a number that fits a template, nor is any other patient.

… And what say you, nurse? Why would you cough over a patient when she is placed in isolation? Why would you skip something as simple as washing your hands before handling a patient in isolation? Laura is in isolation for a reason! Doctors, why would you promise to see your patient daily and request to have them tell you a joke-a-day, but in turn disappear without our knowledge? Who is this trainee doctor now seeing Laura so frequently? Why is Laura’s stomach now bloating? “No worries,” you say? Well, she’s in ICU now, promised to go back upstairs the following day. She’s having trouble breathing… “No worries,” again you say? Code Blue. Ventricular fibrillation. Parents are asked to wait outside; “Please save her…” She is put on life support. What happened? She hid her symptoms well? Wasn’t she in remission? Maybe if you had that CT scan done, the ESBL Enterobacter “super bug” would have been treated effectively; but there are no “maybe’s” in this light. We’re all human, of course, but why’s a patient simply a number?

So, how did she contract such a deadly flesh-eating disease in the first place? Again, nurses, why do you forget something so simple as washing your hands and avoiding coughing over patients?

And what of euthanasia? My parents had no idea you were weaning her off life support. Had they known, they would have requested that you had at least waited for me, her sister. I wanted to say goodbye.

No pain can ever compare to those 3 weeks of horror. No frustration I’ve ever encountered comes close to what I experienced in the hospital. She was 15. She had finished her exams. She was awarded with the recognition of Top athlete, Top Academics, Most Inspirational, and placed on the Principal’s list with Straight As. She wanted to be a vet. She had headaches – her only symptom – and in three weeks, she was gone.

Let us steer away from the billion dollar industry of chemotherapy drugs. Laura is included as part of the “cancer survivor” statistics, but clearly her body did not survive the heavy drugs. In fact, I would say she died due to the treatment. Chemotherapy alone is not the answer. The Terry Fox Foundation and the Mayo Clinic, and other open-minded research institutes are our hopes to end this dreaded and painful disease. Polio was the last long-standing fatal disease we found a cure for … and how long ago was that? It’s time.

I ride for a cure, not the same drugs and procedures that have failed us time and time again.

==================

A short list of the impact of Laura’s story:
*Edits to the side-effects literature given to new cancer patients at BC Children’s Hospital
*Nurses re-trained on how to maintain sanitary conditions, especially in the isolation sections of the oncology ward
*Lawyers realizing their helplessness in taking up Laura’s case — a move towards protecting the young: BC Wrongful Death Act http://www.youtube.com/user/WrongfulDeathReform
*The realization that we do not have enough equipment in our hospitals (i.e. CT Scan)

======

If you have a spare dollar or two, please help me in this cause. Please click on the “Donate Online” button and choose the “Freewheeler” option to place an amount.

========

The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting BC Cancer Foundation, is a two-day cycling journey, through Canada’s Pacific region taking place in the summer. It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but with my bike, my helmet, and your generosity, a real impact will be made!

Contribute to this history-making event with a donation. Funds raised in The Ride to Conquer Cancer will support breakthrough research, exemplary teaching, and compassionate care made possible through BC Cancer Foundation, a leader in cancer research and care.

Thank you in advance for your help.