All posts by mcfadyena
Vimy
Dear Stuart,
As I type this letter, I am sitting at the Vimy Ridge Memorial, just a few miles north of Arras, France. To my left are the two great pillars that seem to be reaching to the havens, and in front of me is the statue of the grieving mother, a powerful symbol for the generation of young men that were lost during the Great War. We made our way here after a leisurly two-day drive through the French countryside, a trip that saw us amble through many of the battlefields of the two World Wars.
I’ve wanted to come here for most of my adult life, and for many reasons. One reason is that I wanted to get a sense of what I teach in the classroom, to better understand the struggles of the brave men who fought for freedom and for our country, so that I can better pass on their stories to the students that pass through my classroom each year.
I came here from Germany, where I was surprised to learn that anyone I talked to about Vimy knew nothing about the Ridge, about our struggle as Canadian’s, and about the significance of this monument to our country as a whole. I was anxious to get to France, where I was sure there would be broader understanding of why we wanted to come here and pay tribute to those that died in the name of peace.
I was teary as I walked through the trees and out into the field that houses this monument. When I arrived, I was the only one here, though I was soon joined by many people coming to pay their respects at this Memorial. You once wrote that coming to the monument is “like a religious experience”, though I do realize it was a fictional account you were describing. But I can’t say that I disagree. The somber atmosphere that surrounds this beautiful site does lend one to an emotional experience, especially when you read the tens of thousands of names that are inscribed on the walls that make up the base of the monument. Looking out across the vast land in this area, it’s easy to see why this location was prime territory for both sides during the Great War. But sitting here typing this letter to you, it’s also difficult to comprehend why so many young men were slaughtered trying to take and defend one swath of land on such a large continent.
I’m not sure if I was more hurt or simply disappointed by how few of the French citizens I talked to knew about Vimy Ridge. In France, I had expected to tell people where I was going and have them fully comprehend the significance of the journey I was about to embark on. It was only after driving through the French countryside and past the fields that were once blown apart by artillery fire, after imagining the pain and struggle of the people that lived through the war and saw their homeland torn apart, and after seeing the broad geography that was home to two World Wars, that I realized how ignorant I was to think that this one battle at Vimy Ridge would be engrained in their hearts and memories. I now understand why so many of the French have only a passing knowledge of the place where I am right now. The Great War was more then just Vimy Ridge, and the struggle for freedom began long before this hill was taken by the Canadians, and that struggle continued long after it was lost again.
Still, it is often said by historians that Vimy Ridge is where Canada truly became a nation, though I have to disagree. I’d like to think that Canada became a nation long before the battle at Vimy Ridge; that we became a nation centuries before as we were clearing the fields of New France, and battling on the Plains of Abraham, and doing the hard work of bridging East and West with the great railroads. I’d like to think we became a nation, not because of one battle here in the North of France, but by the battles that came before along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, and because of the battles that came after, on the beaches of Normandy, and continuing today in the deserts of Afghanistan. And I’d like to think that the ghosts of those that died here at Vimy Ridge, and Passchendaele, and Ypres, and the Somme would agree with me, and were as proud to be a Canadian then, as I am now.
I’m happy that I’ve come here to pay my respects to the Canadian’s that lost their lives during the Great War. Being here has brought me some perspective on life; perspective that I hope to pass on to the kids in my classroom once school starts again in September.
I hope you’re well.
A.
School Supports Student With Rare Condition
Michelle McCarthy for QMI Agency
CAMPBELLFORD – Students at Kent Public School energetically poured into the play yard recently for a Jump-A-Thon fundraiser in Support of the Isaac Foundation.
The event which included hula hoop contests, ball hockey and music, was just one of many fundraising initiatives that have been held for Kent’s own Grade 2 student Isaac McFayden. While energetic and full of life, Isaac lives with MPS VI, a disease so rare it affects only five children throughout Canada.
MPS VI is a progressive disease that’s caused by an enzyme deficiency. It creates a variety of symptoms that can affect every aspect of the body from growth and internal organs, to muscles and joints. There are various degrees and types of MPS, such as the MPS VI that afflicts young Isaac.
“Our world was definitely changed forever in 2005 when at 18 months Isaac was diagnosed with this devastating disease. It was very hard on both me and Lisa, who at the time was pregnant with Gabriel, our second child,” said Andrew McFayden, director of the foundation and Isaac’s dad.
Although Isaac’s brother Gabriel was not born with MPS, at the time the McFaydens were faced with a very real one-in-four chance that their new baby would also be born with the genetic disease.
“It was a hard time and we both took time off work but we spent some time feeling sorry for ourselves and for Isaac, we realized he wasn’t going to get better with us sitting around watching him deteriorate, which is what began the Isaac Foundation.”
The McFaydens have been working tirelessly ever since to help their son and others afflicted with this rare condition. Andrew McFayden said that, luckily for Isaac’s sake, the foundation was able to achieve a lot in a small amount of time. In 2005 when this began, the lifesaving treatment available to slow the progression of MPS was only available in the US and was far too expensive to afford, costing millions of dollars a year to administer.
“Our first goal was to get the treatment brought to Canada and then to have the province fund it fully,” McFayden said. “It was a long and hard fight but we were successful and it has made all the difference in all our lives and continues to help maximize Isaac’s quality of life.”
Since the Isaac Foundation’s inception in 2006, it has donated more than $300,000 to research and is close to committing another $60,000 towards finding a cure for Isaac and others who are suffering from this rare condition. McFayden said it’s thanks to continual support, like that at Kent Public School, that they are able to continue achieving their goals at the foundation.
Kent Public School’s May 17 Jump-A-Thon raised more than $1,000 for the foundation, which is a nice addition the $12,000 the school has already raised over the last three years through other endeavours such as this.
The school secretary, known to most as Ms. Lisa, spoke very highly of the young student and the bond and sense of community he seems to help foster at the Campbellford public school.
“Although Isaac’s illness causes him to face certain challenges, he never comes across or presents himself as if he has any challenges,” said Ms. Lisa. “He’s just so personable and smart, and has such a great attitude and joy for life that it’s really inspirational to watch.”
She said as a school, Kent is often asked to support a number of charities all very worthy of support, but it’s particularly great when they get an opportunity to help out with something so close to home.
“Isaac and our fundraisers have brought us so much closer as a school and have fostered such a sense of community among the students and staff,” said Ms. Lisa. “All you have to do is look out in the yard and see them interacting with Isaac, watch the participation, excitement and acceptance and it’s like that every time we hold an event for the Isaac Foundation.”
McFayden said the Isaac Foundation has a few of their bigger fundraisers coming up over the next few months including their main Gala for the Cure on Oct. 13, 2012 and their charity golf tournament on June 23.
He added this coming May 26 and 27 the Isaac Foundation will be participating in Ottawa’s annual race weekend in an effort to raise funds for the foundation. A local running team of more than 35 individuals have been fundraising and collecting sponsors leading up to the event, and McFayden said it will be interesting to see how much money the foundation can raise.
“The research we help fund is beyond important and looks very exciting. Some of it quite promising for Isaac and others in the shorter term so we’re in this to really do everything we can to continue funding the MPS research taking place across the globe,” he said.
For more information on the Isaac Foundation, Isaac and upcoming fundraising events, visit www.theisaacfoundation.com.