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We would like to again thank Jorge Cueto Herrera from CuetoImages at 122 Durham Street, Sudbury, Ontario. Jorge has, many times now, used his photographic and storytelling abilities to capture and add depth to our events. You can see a preview of Jorge's latest work for Ride for a Friend below and visit him over on Blurb to view his work and make a purchase.

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September 15th, 2015... it was a beautiful day. Not just because it was +20 degrees and sunny in the middle of September. On this day we were once again fortunate enough to come together and present a cheque for $10,000 to a very deserving local family. If you don't already know about Olivia Poitras, please read more about her here on the site. Big thanks to Sudbury's Best Rock Station Q92 for their sponsorship.

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Olivia Poitras is a very special 8 year old girl who was born with an extremely rare chromosomal disorder known as Emanuel Syndrome. She was 1 of 43 known cases worldwide at the time of her birth. Her family didn’t know if she would live or die. Thankfully, she is still with us today. She is always so happy, even though she has been through so many difficulties and complications.

She has her own way of communicating by nodding her head and using facial expressions. Whether family, friend, or stranger, her smile lights up everyone’s day. Olivia lives with and is cared for by her two very patient and loving parents Denis and Ann who are also proud parents to her 3 wonderful big sisters, Samantha, Danika and Bianca.

Olivia Poitras is a very special 8 year old girl who was born with an extremely rare chromosomal disorder known as Emanuel Syndrome. She was 1 of 43 known cases worldwide at the time of her birth. Her family didn’t know if she would live or die. Thankfully, she is still with us today. She is always so happy, even though she has been through so many difficulties and complications. 

She has her own way of communicating by nodding her head and using facial expressions. Whether family, friend, or stranger, her smile lights up everyone’s day. Olivia lives with and is cared for by her two very patient and loving parents Denis and Ann who are also proud parents to her 3 wonderful big sisters, Samantha, Danika and Bianca.

Side effects of this syndrome include physical and mental delays. Olivia does not walk, talk or eat. She is dependent on a gastric feeding tube to get the fluid and calories she needs to survive and grow. Olivia has had many surgeries including open heart, cleft palate, eyes, and salivation glandes. She’s also already suffered through two back surgeries due to her sclerosis and will be subjected to further back surgeries every 6-8 months until she’s 13. She is now having difficulties with anesthetics which cause her to be sick for over a month following every surgery. She frequently suffers from pneumonia and has chronic ear infections.

Due to the severity of Olivia’s condition and the complexity of her health needs, they must routinely travel to medical appointments in Toronto and Ottawa. Thanks to the assistance and generosity of many donors, family, friends, and community, the family was able to accelerate the purchase of a much needed full size handicap accessible van. The new van has provided much needed space for Olivia to grow as she will soon need a bigger wheel chair. It has simplified their lives in many ways, allowing them to enjoy family outings and of course travel in comfort while providing for Olivia’s needs en route to her numerous and emotional medical appointments.

Unfortunately, Olivia’s needs don’t end with reliable transportation. The long list of materials and costs associated with caring for a child with Olivia’s condition means an overwhelming financial burden. Ride for a Friend hopes to fill the gap, at least for a little while. Help us help this family with the many thousands of dollars in expenses facing them down the road. We’d like to thank you in advance for your contribution to the 2015 Hwy 64 - Ride for a Friend and for helping us give this family a brighter future.

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