My 35th Birthday Wish for CHEO Kids!
My 35th birthday is April 25th and I’m hoping you’ll give a gift to a child in treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario aka CHEO to help me celebrate. We’ve been doing this since 2018 and my goal for 2021 is to hit $5,000. Will you help?
Please give a gift to a child in treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario this April.
If you’re in my family or friend circle and you’d typically treat ME for my birthday, the best gift I could receive that really lets me know that you’re thinking of me comes in the form of a financial donation to CHEO’s Child Life department.
All proceeds go to providing a child (ages 0-18) in hospital with a new toy, game, book, art supply kit and other forms of entertainment (escape) while undergoing treatment.
In previous years, you’ve been able to swing by the radio station or a tour, a chat and a photo (sometimes even a hug or a hi-5). Unfortunately, in person donations are postponed until we can all safely gather again.
Here are some photos from my Birthday Wish:
To be totally transparent, this fundraiser is ongoing. I started it in 2018 and promote it every year during my birth month (April). I want to make it as financially accessible as possible for those who wish to give a gift to a child who could use the distraction. In my personal experience as a CHEO Kid (which runs deep; from 1988 to 2003), many children who spend a large amount of time as ‘in patients’ (receiving treatment that requires them to essentially live in a hospital room) don’t have a lot of options in terms of NEW gifts, books, toys that are JUST for them. Many come from socioeconomically challenged or disadvantaged homes and YOUR generosity makes a massive, life changing impact.
As I age, the urgency to let children with rare diseases or crummy circumstances know that there is hope for a brighter future rises. If I was a millionaire and able to donate in a massive way, I’d probably still be asking you to contribute to the Child Life Department because awareness and acceptance is part of the giving process.
I have spoken about my disease in detail before but if you have any questions that aren’t answered in these posts below, please feel free to reach out.
Here’s a recent video I created to explain Autoimmune Diseases in an easy to understand way:
March Already? Sunny Day Ahead!
Tomorrow’s expected high is the hottest Ottawa's seen in a while at plus 12! Woohoo!
Proudly completed DryFeb with over $1,400 raised for the Canadian Cancer Society. Being sober the entire month wasn’t too bad! The whole ‘having a sinus infection the entire time’ thing sucked. I felt like I had hangovers that I certainly didn’t earn… even though I gave up the hooch.
Obviously back on the wagon and, otherwise, life is pretty great. The sun is shining and we’re getting longer days, warmer days… the ice is melting, the snowbanks are disappearing and spring is en route.
Time to think about motorcycles, spring break, cottages and spending more time outdoors.
Oh yeah, and the end of this goddamned pandemic.
Matt Mays on Strange Times, 'Dog City' and the State of Rock n Roll
My conversation with Matt Mays on CHEZ106 ahead of his live album, ‘From Burnside With Love’, release next Friday, February 12th. A livestreamed concert event to follow on Saturday, February 13th. Get your tickets at MattMays.com/tour.
Matt Mays and his band are keeping fans very entertained during these strange times with the release of their live 'From Burnside With Love' album out Friday, February 12th. The semi-unplugged set was recorded from his hometown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It's release is followed by a livestreamed concert event, happening Saturday, February 13th.
You can grab tickets to the show, a perfect Valentine's date night thing if you ask me, online here.
Matt released his 8th studio album 'Dog City' last September with a whopping 484 dogs on the cover, although over 700 photos were submitted. Written from the perspective of a rescue dog, it delivers his (and his bands') signature folk-rock vibes with wonderful moments of Marc Bolan (T. Rex), Elliott Smith and the Velvet Underground. Check out that Stooges cover, too!
View this post on Instagram
Here's my full conversation with Matt about pandemic life, the need to perform and the future of live shows. I mean, we talked for near 13 minutes, so we covered a log of ground but I won't type it all out here when you could just click the play button (below).
‘From Burnside With Love' is out next Friday and the livestream concert event follows on Saturday.
After the premiere, you have until Monday, Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. EST to watch the video. Tickets cost only $20.00 all in (or at least that's what option I chose to purchase). The other option costs from $70.00 to $90.00 CAD and includes your ticket PLUS an autographed copy of 'From Burnside With Love' on vinyl (3 LP set)..
#DryFeb
Going dry for the entire 28 days of February to raise money for the Cancer Society of Canada and also, partly, to see if I can do it!
I don’t believe in “absolutes” and I typically don’t care much for rules but I don’t see the harm in challenging myself to live a healthier life. If only temporarily!
If you’ve been thinking about going dry this February, consider joining my online team by Clicking Here.
It’s free to sign up and I have no expectations from you other than to try and abstain from alcohol for 28 days.
I’ll be sharing my experience online, so follow me on social media for updates. This won’t be easy. Wish me luck!