Powerful Pictures Of Frontline Healthcare Workers At PRHC By A Mother Whose Daughter Was Treated There For Cancer

Ennismore’s Mary Zita Payne has such enormous gratitude for this community and particular the frontline workers at PRHC.

See, her daughter Eliza, at age 3, was diagnosed with cancer. Young Eliza went through two and a half years of treatment for leukaemia, much of it at PRHC. “We were blessed her treatment plan had amazing success rates, and little likelihood of relapse,” Mary tells PTBOCanada. “She came out of on top, heathlier and happier then ever."

“Throughout those days as dark and sometimes lonely as they could feel, there was so much love, so many impactful moments from humans and our community that shined so much beauty in our lives,” Mary adds. “Our community rallied around us in an incredibly fierce way—they had a set up a GoFundMe page (which went beyond our wildest dreams), they sent cards and gifts, they donated blood, they sent beautiful messages.”

But the real heroes were the doctors and nurses who were there for Eliza and her family day in and day out. And for that, Mary is eternally grateful. During Eliza’s treatment there, Mary started really understanding the power of an image, of capturing moments (like the photos above).

“Photographing these nurses and community supporters was a way to thank them for the support—a way to make sense of it all and share with Eliza when she got older. My camera became a means of sharing my gratitude to my loved ones and the universe.”

Fast forward to today: To the crisis. To the pandemic. To our heroes, the healthcare workers at PRHC who are fighting a war against a virus, saving many lives, and in doing so putting themselves right in harm’s way on the battlefield. And back to Mary, who has turned her camera on them once again to give them a voice so to speak—to thank them for their awesome support, and for taking such amazing care of all of us. 

“I have been taking photos of them at the ‘parades’ honouring them, when I visit my grandma’s nursing homes and when I head into town for some essentials,” says Mary, who has been doing so while abiding by the physical distancing guidelines set forth, keeping well back.

“I see our nurses, many of whom we came to call our family and beloved friends, are being thrown into a war against a horrible disease, a disease that puts them at risk as well as their loved ones,” Mary tells PTBOCanada.

“It only seemed fitting to pull my camera out again and find a way to thank them,” Mary says of documenting this on her blog.

“By directing the camera right onto them during this crisis, I wanted to make sure they know how incredibly beautiful and strong they are for doing so. I wanted to help remind them on their bad days that their communities have so much love, respect and appreciation.”

Mary’s hope in documenting the frontline heroes at PHRC?

“That it inspires our community to keep the focus on keeping those in the ‘trenches’ safe, and how much we have to be grateful for. Grateful for a healthcare system and people within in it that will do everything they can to keep us safe and healthy.”

It only seems fitting somehow that we should finish this post here, with a picture of a now healthy and happy Eliza, who just turned 7, waving to the very healthcare workers at PRHC who helped save her life.

Eliza

View more of Mary’s photos of our heroes on her blog. (PRHC is need of the following supplies if you think you can help with their PPE drive.)

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The Peterborough Police Service And Lansdowne Place Mall Team Up For 12th Annual Cop Shop

The Peterborough Police Service and Lansdowne Place Mall are excited for the 12th Annual Cop Shop, a cherished holiday tradition for officers, mall staff and local children.

Started in 2006 by Peterborough Police Constable Leanda LeVasseur, Cop Shop partners a Peterborough Police Service officer with a local child based on good school citizenship, volunteer or academic achievement. The schools select the children that participate in the program. 

2016 Cop Shop at Lansdowne Place Mall

HOW COP SHOP DAY WORKS

-> The children arrive at the mall in a limousine and are provided breakfast courtesy of Tim Hortons.

-> They are also generously provided with a $200 gift certificate from Lansdowne Place to spend on holiday shopping for family and friends.

-> The officer becomes the child’s personal shopper for the day and a bond is quickly formed. (All of the officers that participate in the program are volunteering during their off-duty time.)

-> Mall shops provide the kids with additional discounts and treats.

-> Purchases are wrapped and tagged by mall staff, and by volunteers from the community and the police service. Lunch caps off the event followed by a complimentary photo with Santa and their officer friend.

-> The students then enjoy a limousine ride back to their school courtesy of Welsh Limousine and Ulimate Limousine.  

2016 Cop Shop at Lansdowne Place Mall

This year’s Cop Shop takes place on Wednesday, December 5th. The children will be arriving at the mall at approximately 9:30 a.m. and the event takes place until about 1:30 p.m.

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Peterborough Museum & Archives' Newest Exhibition Terry Fox: Running To The Heart Of Canada Is On Loan From Canadian Museum of History

Peterborough Museum & Archives' newest exhibition titled Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada is a must see for people of all ages.

The exhibition is on loan from the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, with support from the Terry Fox Foundation, and will be on-site in Peterborough for public viewing until Sunday, December 9th.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

The exhibition provides a unique look at Terry’s epic 143-day, 3,339-mile (5,373-kilometre) journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1980. It explores Canadians’ deep and abiding affection for Terry and examines his unique place in our collective memory.

Developed by the Canadian Museum of History in partnership with Terry Fox’s family, the exhibition traces Terry’s journey and shows the impact he had on modern Canadian life—the numerous schools, community centres and features of the landscape named for him, and the Canadian coins, stamps and passports bearing his image.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

“During the Marathon of Hope and the months that followed, Canadians filled our home in Port Coquitlam, B.C., with scrapbooks, written tributes and gifts reflecting a collective compassion and admiration for Terry's unselfish act,” says Darrell Fox, Terry’s brother. “More than 35 years later, it is time to share the Terry Fox collection and the compelling story that the memorabilia evoke with the world.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

The Canadian icon’s coast-to-coast journey in 1980 ended near Thunder Bay, when the cancer that had claimed his leg returned, forcing Terry to abandon the project.

He died a national hero in June 1981, at the age of 22, having collected some $24 million. To date, more than $700 million has been raised in his name for cancer research.

Terry Fox – Running to the Heart of Canada is being presented at The Peterborough Museum & Archives (300 Hunter Street East) from September 29th until December 9th.

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#RememberThem: Thousands Expected To Gather At Confederation Park At Cenotaph

UPDATED: Some pictures from today's ceremony at the Cenotaph....

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ORIGINAL POST:

Today is Remembrance Day and the 100th anniversary of the First World War. As citizens of our free country gather at Cenotaphs across the land, we pause to think and say thank you for the tremendous sacrifices that were made to protect our future by women and men many decades ago.  

 

The ceremony in Peterborough begins at our Cenotaph (located at 500 George St. N) at Confederation Park at 10 a.m. with a parade followed by an always touching ceremony beginning at 10:30. As is tradition, a moment of silence will be held at 11 a.m. followed by closing remarks and song.

With the World Wars and Korean War having ended so many years ago, our local veterans from those events are fewer in number. We urge you to put on your poppy and head downtown to this touching event and show support for our local veterans. Without their help, the world might have been a very different place than it is today. We thank them for all the freedoms we now take for granted.

Lest we forget.  —by Aaron Elliott

Here is a tribute by the Peterborough Pop Ensemble set to "Honour You"...

A montage of photos set to "We Honour You", an original choral work written by Barbara Monahan (2005) and performed by The Peterborough Pop Ensemble. We are forever grateful to the men and women, past and present, for their service to our country. We will never forget.

Learn more about Remembrance Day here.

The Trews "Highway of Heroes"...

"Highway of Heroes", was co-written and co-produced by The Trews and Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) and was inspired by the 2006 death of Captain Nichola Goddard from The Trews' hometown of Antigonish, NS. Canada's Highway of Heroes, is the section of the MacDonald-Cartier freeway named to honour those who have sacrificed all in service of country.

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A Beautiful Tribute At Cenotaph In Memory of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo

Robert Scott Hanes tweeted out these pictures from the Cenotaph today as people are leaving tributes for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, whose body is going home today along the Highway of Heroes.

photo via @robthehanes

photo via @robthehanes

photo via @robthehanes

photo via @robthehanes

"Highway of Heroes", was co-written and co-produced by The Trews and Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) and was inspired by the 2006 death of Captain Nichola Goddard from The Trews' hometown of Antigonish, NS. Canada's Highway of Heroes, is the section of the MacDonald-Cartier freeway named to honour those who have sacrificed all in service of country.

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3 Peterborough Siblings Shave Their Heads To Raise Awareness For Pediatric Cancer Research

So many kids around Peterborough have been having their heads shaved and pony tails cut for a great cause: Pedal For Hope. This takes place each April and May, when members of the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police shed their uniforms during their holidays, hop on a bike and pedal more than 1,000 kilometres as "Cops for Cancer" to visit schools around Central Ontario to raise money for pediatric cancer research and awareness about kids living with cancer. Since the first tour in 2005, the Pedal for Hope team has raised more than $2.4 million for pediatric cancer research.

This year's 10th anniversary tour wraps up Saturday (May 17th) with an event at Adam Scott, but on Friday (May 16th) Pedal For Hope bikers arrived at James Strath Public School in Peterborough, and more children had their heads shaved—including Eileen and Joel Kimmett's three kids, Quinn, 10; Riker Kimmett, 8; and Kedron, 6. "I still can't say enough how amazing the Pedal For Hope Team is," Eileen tells us. Her kids are amazing, too. All the hair cut goes to make wigs for kids struggling with cancer. See pics below of Quinn, Riker and Kedron from today...

Kedron, Quinn and Riker

Kedron, Quinn and Riker

Kedron, Quinn and Riker

Kedron, Quinn and Riker

Kedron

Kedron

Kedron

Kedron

Kedron

Kedron

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Best Thing Ever: Peterborough Girl Sarah Edge Celebrating Her 10th Anniversary With New Heart By Hosting Blood Clinic

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Sarah Edge was only six weeks old when she first begin experiencing heart problems. By the time she was 15 months, and her health in severe decline, she was placed on a heart transplant waiting list. Her family was afraid Sarah would not make it, and she was down to only 15 pounds. After weeks on the waiting list, Sarah’s mother received the miracle call that the family had been waiting for: A heart had been found!

At 18 months old, Sarah received the heart transplant she so desperately needed. Throughout her treatment, she also needed 66 units of blood products to help beat the odds that were not in her favour.

Ten years later after her miracle heart transplant and the generosity of blood donors, Sarah is giving back. In celebration of her post-transplant anniversary, the 11-year-old from Peterborough hopes that the blood donor clinic she and her family are organizing will bring out donors willing to help save the lives of children like her.

Sarah’s Celebratory Clinic is Tuesday, November 5th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at  Peterborough Blood Donor Clinic (55 George St. at the corner of George and Perry St.). Members of the community are encouraged to come out and support Sarah and other children in need of blood and blood products, as well as organs. Call 1 888 2 Donate (1-888-236-283) or go online to Blood.ca to book an appointment to donate blood. In addition, it takes only minutes to register to be an organ or tissue donor. Visit Beadonor.ca to find out how.

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Hero OPP Officer Saves Elderly Man With Alzheimer's From Drowning In Rice Lake

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Northumberland OPP Constable Phil Clarke is a hero after rescuing an elderly man with Alzheimer's who almost drowned in Rice Lake last night.

It started when a missing person’s report came in to police around 2 a.m. from a  woman who noticed her husband was missing.

Police searched the surrounding area, and it was Constable Clarke who located the male struggling in the cold dark open waters off a dock area at the end of County Road 18.

Constable Clarke grabbed a flotation device, swam a distance in 5 degree waters and retrieved the man, who lost conciousness almost immediately after the rescue. The man was then taken by ambulance to hosital for treatment and further medical care.

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Hero: Peterborough Man Pulls Woman From Burning Vehicle

Luke Heard pulled a woman from a burning van this morning. He gave a recount of the dramatic rescue to Dani Stover and Brian Ellis in this amazing interview on The Wolf Morning Show this morning. Listen below on Soundcloud...

Lucas Heard of Ptbo saves a woman from a smoke filled van before it's engulfed in flames (at Burnham and Hunter just east of the bridge)

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[The Wolf

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