Currently Browsing: Activism
Sep 17, 2009
Nobody Puts Pancreatic Cancer in the Corner
That’s how my friend titled an email to me Monday night, after hearing the news that Patrick Swayze lost his two-year fight against the disease. This just a day after my parents put on their big fundraiser to support research into early-detection tests and a cure. The event was a huge success. Well over 200 people walked the short route in perfect weather. Of course, it wasn’t the walking that... read more
Aug 27, 2009
Talk to Me (Us All) About Health Care: Open Thread
Image by Getty Images via Daylife Let’s talk about health care. You know I’m happy with the care I receive here in British Columbia; I don’t think the system’s perfect, but I’ve had no major complaints about it, and it compares favorably against the care I got when I lived in the U.S. But I don’t want to talk about my personal experience. I have a nagging knot in... read more
Aug 20, 2009
A New Goal
Thanks to the stunning generosity of friends, family, blog readers, Twitter followers, and perfect strangers, I blew past my original goal to raise $500 for pancreatic-cancer research by the second day of my fund-raising effort. By the end of that day, I’d raised over $1,000. I’ve upped my goal to $1,500. The fundraising walk outside of Albany, NY, is Sunday, 13th September. If you’d... read more
Aug 17, 2009
In Which I Ask You for Money
When I got off the bus to meet my friend for a hungover shopping date in Gastown on Saturday afternoon, I greeted her with this gem: “I am such an asshole.” “Um, hm?” “Ok, so 4th Avenue is closed between Arbutus and Burrard today for Hippy Daze*, and on the detour I saw a bunch of women in bubblegum pink with ridiculous hats and realized I think it might also be the... read more
Dec 20, 2008
Health Care: Friend or Foe?
When I was twenty-five and working at a job that was grueling and thankless and rendered me suffering from stress-induced stomach aches, I eventually decided I’d had enough and I quit. I was engaged at the time, and living with my fiancé. We were to be legally married three months later. When I told my mother I’d quit my job, the first words out of her mouth were, “What about health... read more

















