David Heaslip

Where do your donations go?

Keep these facts in mind when “donating”. As you open your pockets for yet another natural disaster, keep the following facts in mind; we have listed them from the highest (worse paid offender) to the lowest (least paid offender).

The worst offender was yet again for the 11th year in a row is, UNICEF - CEO, receives $1,200,000 per year, (plus use of a Royal Royce for his exclusive use where ever he goes, and an expense account that is rumoured to be well over $150,000.) Only pennies from the actual donations goes to the UNICEF
cause (less than $0.14 per dollar of income).

The second worst offender this year is Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross…for her salary for the year ending in 2009 was $651,957 plus expenses. Enjoys 6 weeks - fully paid holidays including all related expenses during the holiday trip for her and her husband and kids. including 100% fully paid health & dental plan for her and her family, for life. This means out of every dollar they bring in, about $0.39 goes to related charity causes.

The third worst offender was again for the 7th time was, Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary (U.S. funds), plus so many numerous expense benefits it’s hard to keep track as to what it is all worth, including a fully paid lifetime membership for 2 golf courses (1 in Canada, and 1 in the U.S.A.), 2 luxury vehicles, a yacht club membership, 3 major company gold credit cards for his personal expenses…and so on. This equates to about $0.51 per dollar of income goes to charity causes.

Fourth worst offender who was also again in the fourth spot, for every year since this information has been made available from the start 1998 is amazingly yet again, World Vision President (Canada) receives $300,000 base salary, (plus supplied - a home valued in the $700,000 - $800,000 dollar value range, completely furnished, completely paid all housing expenses, including taxes, water/sewer, telephone/fax, HD/high speed cable, weekly maid service and pool/yard maintenance, fully paid private schooling for his children, upscale automobile and an $55,000 personal expense account for clothing/food, with a $125,000 business expense account). Get this, because it is a “religious based” charity, it pays, little to no taxes, can receive government assistance and does not have to declare were the money goes. Only about $0.52 of earned income per dollar is available for charity causes.

Of the sixty some odd “charities” we looked at, the lowest paid (President/C.E.O/Commissioner) was heading up a charity group right here in Canada. We found, believe it or not, it was……

Ready for this…

I think you might be surprised…

It is, none other than…

The Salvation Army’s Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. Which means about $0.93 per dollar earned, is readily available and goes back out to local charity causes…truly amazing…and well done “Sally Anne”. And the Sears’ National Kids Cancer Ride – 100% of individual donations goes directly to the cause!

No further comment is necessary…”Think Twice” before you give to your charity of choice as to which one really does the best for the most - or the least for the most, for that matter.

Mommy………..it’s OVER!

Pictures are available for viewing at http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidCHeaslip/2010Ride#

There are many, many people that need to be thanked for their support during this epic adventure. For fear of leaving someone out by name, suffice it to say that if you are reading this blog, you are undoubtedly one of them. Whether it was through a financial donation, spreading the word about our cause, or just encouraging me when it was too easy to get down in the dumps, your support was invaluable, and I can’t tell you how much it was appreciated. Most importantly, WE – you and I – helped to make a difference!

There are a few that deserve special recognition.

First and foremost, my wife Karen. Her initial support when I was considering getting involved was overwhelming. She was there throughout the many months as we pursued our goals. In fact, she almost caught me when I fell! It was Karen who convinced me to ride on that final day into Halifax, believing that the damage was done and not much more could happen.

“Thanks” go to Deb Maybury and Mark Burger, two of our team’s riders, who wanted to be there beside me as we rode into the beach. These two are incredible people! They understood my dream. Deb and I have an unspoken bond that captures the essence of what this ride is all about. And Mark, realizing the importance of me overcoming my own personal setback, was there to make sure I was able to climb each and every hill. His hand on my back was the help that “I” needed to beat this thing, just as we were helping others to beat their setbacks!

And finally, to my family, for the support that was constant from day one. It is hard to describe the feeling after many, many months of training; after many, many functions to raise donations for a cause that I believe in so strongly; after many “ups” and “downs” throughout my journey, to be able to ride into the beach in Halifax, — to have your wife, your daughter Debi and her two girls, Erin and Carolyn, and my son Toddd and his wife Brenda and their children, Ally and Chase there to see the festivities. It is something that will be a highlight of my life!

To my teammates on Team 3. Who would have thought when Mike Smith organized the teams and crews a couple of months ago that we would be so fortunate? The bonds that we have made will not be tested. They can’t be. There’s nothing that can impair the relationships we shared. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for me, and for the memories that we’ve made.

To everyone who was at the 192 community stops we made across this great country – thank you. We never knew what to expect, but there should be no doubt that you warmed our hearts. The chance to spread the word about our mission, and to thank you for your support of us helped to fuel our fires. To those of you who fed us along the way, it was most nourishing.

I must also use this space to “thank” the ride staff for an outstanding job. This ride was started by Jeff Rushton when he created the Coast To Coast Against Cancer Foundation, and he’s still the key guy and “Most Passionate Volunteer” in this, and the other ride events, that Coast to Coast puts on. You cannot find a higher quality guy than Jeff. When things started to grow and he knew he needed help, he searched for someone to join his team. He found Mike Smith. Believe it or not, these two guys are cut from exactly the same piece of cloth! They are awesome.

To the office staff and the Foundation staff – you folks are top of the class. As a rider, I can tell you that there wasn’t one occasion when you weren’t there to help me out. Not once. I marvel at the work that you folks turn out, and during the ride, when things are evolving so quickly, you’re able to spin things on a dime, make a decision, and get it implemented.

I hope that I can get involved to help you in some way going forward.

To our sponsors – “thanks” for getting behind us. “Thanks” for being there on the road with us. “Thanks” for realizing the magnitude of this disease, and the many opportunities that there are to make a meaningful difference. Your support and participation is well recognized.

To everyone who was involved in this event, (I know that collectively, there’s 85 of us out there) who worked hard to make a difference, THANKS for the memories. We overcame obstacles along the way and had fun doing it, but we were clearly focused on our mission – Our Destination: Beyond Cancer. If the good Lord is willing, I’ll see you next year!

Postponing my last blog for this!

As each team set out on their journey across this remarkable country, there were support staff and vehicles accompanying them every step of the way.

Each team had two RVs, an 18 wheeler transport truck for sleeping in, a huge cube van, and a follow vehicle.

The follow vehicle had a bike mechanic, the medic, and a photographer on board. Each RV had two drivers. One of the drivers was also our RMT (massage therapist) to look after the aches and pains of the riders. Our RMT was Nadia El-Emam. When she got home she sat down to write. She has put together an excellent piece on her impressions of the ride and posted it on facebook. Since not everyone is on facebook, I attach it here as it is well worth reading.

I opened my eyes around 6am this morning, like every other snkcr morning, wondering where I was in the world and whether there are washrooms around or if I have to “prairie dog” it outside somewhere. It was foreign to wake up in a comfortable bed, and to realize my bladder did not have to suffer through “holding it in” until a pee destination was established. There were no riders shuffling around to get ready, the familiar sounds and faces only echoed in my mind as memories creeped in.

How does one put such a journey into words… a group of strangers put together in small quarters under stressful conditions and sleep deprivation for 15 days while cycling about 200km/day, on a schedule, to accomplish one goal: raise money and awareness for kids cancer research. My personal goal was for the riders to achieve that goal as painlessly as possible, to keep them on the road and enjoy the journey to destination (The main issues that arose were psoas trigger point induced back pain, SI issues, neck and shoulder tension, IT band and piriformis issues as well as knee pain). Like the mechanic, I was there to tune them up when they broke down and send them back out on the road - treating out of a moving RV makes treating on a stable table look so easy. The experience itself exceeded the goals that were set. Where conflicts and frustration were prone to arise we created a community of love, so much of it that it carried us through the toughest times. Through the rain, the cold, the exhaustion, the physical pain, the emotions, the unexpected, there was always room for smiles and laughter. There was always a shoulder to lean or cry on, a friend to look out for you or talk to.

This ride was symbolic of the struggles that children with cancer have to face every day, the riders found their strength in those kids, some of which are their own children, to push through. The determination these individuals had, the tenacity, the heart, is admirable. Each day we moved across the country having to keep track of what time zone we were in, making sure we were on schedule, where we had a community stop, who was going to provide us with food, where we were going to shower, when laundry was going to be done, who had enough energy to drive the RV, where the monkey butt was -“WHERE IS MY” became the most popular start to a sentence in the RV. The riders slept in bunks put together in an 18 wheeler truck, we were up at 6am every morning, sleep was a luxury we didn’t have very much of, some slept as little as a couple of hours a night. Getting ready wasn’t always easy either, no morning showers and sometimes no washroom at all. We had to depend on the The great Canadian land when nature called, pee stops were a family ritual on those long rides across the country. A lot of the riders got sick, and although my attempt to nurse them back to health with oregano oil helped some, others struggled with sickness and injuries all the way to the end. We never lost sight of the big picture though. How quickly you forget the discomforts of living on the road and your little set backs when you listen to a father share the journey their child had to face before losing the fight to cancer. SNKCR and the struggle their teams encounter are part of something much bigger than them: making a difference, giving another child with cancer a chance at a future, giving parents the chance to watch their child grow and have the life they dream of.

There are many little details that will remain in my heart forever, many for which words won’t do justice, many lessons I have learnt about other people, about what it means to be a team, about love and life but especially about myself. This experience has helped me grow as a sports massage therapist, as a friend, as a person and I am forever grateful for it. As I return to the life I had before SNKCR, a little bit wiser, a little bit more grateful, a little more aware, I feel something magical in the air, a connection; the positive energy that SNKCR creates lives on long after the journey, the relationships we have created within our team also. I will miss the individuals that filled my life with character and caring these past three weeks. Congratulations to all of you, I am blessed to have met you.

This ride is over, but the fight against cancer continues: destination BEYOND CANCER – continue to do what you can to make a difference, this disease affects everyone.

To make a donation or find out how you can contribute to this cause go to http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com/ride/

We’re doing well, but we can do better!

$2.6 million dollars has been raised in our fight to find a cure for children’s cancer in the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. While that is a wonderful figure, we’re still accepting donations. If you know of someone who hasn’t donated yet, how ‘bout making a phone call for me. They can donate online at http://davidheaslip.snkcr.com .

A trip like this brings home to each of us every day just why we are doing what we do. Every day we are exposed to kids who, through no fault of their own, are battling a fight for their lives.

I’m fortunate to have Vicki Dunleavey as a rider on my team, and I’ve been living with her for the past couple of weeks. Vicki is a survivor. She was diagnosed when she was eight, and lived through all of those operations and treatments that no child should have to endure. She was old enough to carry those memories throughout her life. She values every day the way many of us should. She knows what it means to be able to live, and to enjoy life!

Quebec to New Brunswick

This morning we are leaving Levis, Quebec on our way to Fredrickton and Moncton in New Brunswick. A beautiful day, and the riders are just ahead of me as I write.

Yesterday was a great day. At a ride-along in Dorval, a man was on his way home from the grocery store. He stopped to ask me what this is about, and I told him our story. He asked if I could take a donation. When I told him I could, he reached in his pocket and gave me $20.00. That ‘s what this is about. Everyone wanting to find a cure for kids cancer.

This morning I gave up breakfast and took a bike off the rack. I rode around the Sears parking lot for about 20m minutes. The knee is sore, but pain level that I can manage. I plan to do this for the next few days. Maybe I’ll be able to ride into Halifax on Thursday after all. That would be awesome, and my teammates are encouraging me to make it happen. I do know that they will be there to protect me should I decide to try it. Have a great day, and think of the kids we’re working for.

Testament to a great team!

I’m posting this picture because there have been several notes to my home about my birthday on the road.

Every morning we have a dedication to one of our cancer victims – either someone still battling cancer, or a victim. It is a solemn time, and there is not one of us who doesn’t think long and hard about what we are doing, and how it might help, or should have helped. When I was making presentations to raise some funds, I ended my video by saying that I would be turning 69 while on this ride, but that I was doing it so some kids could reach their 9th, or 19th! Well, I’m unable to ride, but I can still get my butt out there to try and convince others to support us.

On the morning of the 13th, I was asked 3 times if it was my birthday. I didn’t answer because this morning dedication was not about a birthday. It was about our journey. - our reason for being here. However, at the end of the dedication, Greg Roloson advised everyone that that day was my birthday. I found out later that this had been communicated to my team mates while in Vancouver.

At this point, they sang “Happy Birthday” and everyone offered their personal congratulations. It was a very emotional moment for me. I had read an email from Karen shortly before the dedication telling me that it was the first time in over 50 years that we had not shared my birthday together. WOW! While neither she nor I would have wanted it that way, we knew that this cause is so great that it is simply the price that we have to pay to help make a meaningful difference.

Later that day, we pulled into a restaurant to have lunch. The weather was lousy so we convinced the owner to let us occupy a few tables, and to lay out our spread in some warmth. We had our usual great lunch and bonding time. After everyone was finished and getting ready to pack up, our crew team (Al Davies and Carlo DiDomizio) brought out a cake while everyone was singing again. I didn’t handle it very well, but I can tell you that I truly appreciated the thoughtfulness of everyone. I’m amazed at how 25 people who didn’t know each other just 10 days ago can come together and be one. Oh sure, we’ve had some disagreements, but you know what, they are quickly dealt with and overcome and we move on.

Our Destination: Beyond Cancer.

Marathon to Wawa

We left Marathon early this morning, headed at the end of the day to Wawa. Cold again this morning, but well above yesterday’s 1 degree. One cannot believe how quickly this ride is progressing.

I had a wonderful time yesterday in Thunder Bay. My sister-in-law, Mary, came out to see us, along with her daughter’s Kelly, Kathy and Karen, and one of Karen’s sons. It was so good to see them as it’s been a few years. They all are looking awesome! We’re going to have to arrange to get together sometime soon.

It’s so easy to be passionate about what we’re doing. My only wish is that everyone who has supported this ride financially through their donations, could be here to experience what we are doing. Yesterday in Thunder Bay, Harry Fediuk, who is one of our riders and is from Thunder Bay, gave us our morning dedication. Harry’s youngest son has been battling cancer, and this personal connection makes the tears flow easily. We just have to eat this disease!

Being away from my family just adds to the emotionalism. It’s great to know that they are behind me, and my calls to home are something to look forward to.

I’ll talk soon.

It all starts today

An incredible group of people will hit the road today in earnest. While I won’t be riding, I feel so much a part of this incredible team. The volunteer supporters and the riders are one. Together we WILL make a meaningful difference!

I cannot believe the emotions that one is subjected to when you’re cast into the eye of the storm. Some have said that I’m an emotional guy, but geez, the tears need to stop. There’s not going to be enough to get me across this country otherwise.

When I was making presentations, I used a line that said “I believe in fate, I believe in second chances, I believe in a power greater than ourselves”. There have been many times since I arrived here Monday that I ask myself “why”. Why have I been chosen to be involved in this event? Why have I joined with about 85 other people, each one of us bonded together as one in our belief that we can make a difference.

I do not know the answer to the “why”, but I am truly thankful that I have been given this opportunity. It will not be wasted.

Thank you to everyone who has made this possible, and to Karen who has been so supportive in all that I’ve gone through. I know that we ARE making a difference. Our Destination: Beyond Cancer!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Busy, busy, busy!

As the schedule below shows, they are sure keeping us busy!

But before I get into that, this morning Jeff Rushton reviewed our fundraising progress to date. It looks like this year the riders will have set a new record! Once the ride starts, about 30% of the funds being raised comes in, so while it’s too early to say at this point, it looks good. Of particular importance to me was the detailed review of the top 20 fundraisers. At this point, I am number 15!! “Yes”, I get emotional over it, and am extremely proud and appreciative of everyone who contributed to my efforts. With a little bit of luck, we may be able to hit the $30,000 level. Unbelieveable!

Today’s schedule:

7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:30 – 10:30 Safety During the Event (I am most impressed with the thought that has gone into ensuring everyone’s safety.)

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 – 4:00 Route Review and Route Navigation (We have 4 levels of navigation aids, including being equipped with GPS waypoints for everywhere we have to be).

4:00 – 6:00 Mock Rest Stop Set-Up We have 192 stops ahead of us. (There will also be a short ride locally for those who just have to get out on their bikes.)

6:00 – 6:30 Shower and Get In Gear

6:30 – 7:30 Pictures and BBQ Dinner

7:30 – 8:30 Mock Rest Stop Teardown

7:30 – 9:00 Sub-Team Meetings

9:00 – 10:00 Movie Screening: Where it all began…..CTCACT 2003

Lots of fun, lots of laugh, with about 85 of the greatest people in the world. Next year I’ve got to get Karen to come along as a medic nurse, so we can enjoy it together!