Sunday, September 20, 2009

TURNING TRAGEDY INTO TRIUMPH

Over the last two weeks I have heard two amazing women share their story of how they turned a personal tragedy in their lives into something meaningful that will benefit others.

First was Joey Adler, CEO of the clothing retailer diesel Canada. When her husband died, she vowed that everyone’s life should count, especially children and she founded the One x One Foundation, with celebrity patron Matt Damon. This charity is making great headway in its attack on child poverty around the world, and in four years has raised $6 million to make sure that children’s basic needs are met. To learn more about the foundation, go to www.onexone.org


The second was Jane Roos, who is the Executive Director of CAN Fund, a charity that raises funds to support Canadian athletes so they can train and compete at the Olympics and other world competitions.

In Jane’s case, she had just graduated from high school and had her career in athletics all mapped out, when she was involved in a serious car accident. Her girlfriend died and she endured injuries to her back, thus ending her dreams of being an Olympic athlete.

But she had kept this dream alive for others, and founded the Canadian Athletes Now Fund to provide our athletes with direct financial support so they can afford better nutrition, coaching, new equipment, travel to competitions, etc,… With every donation, you are given the name of the athlete you have supported and receive a tax receipt. You can donate online at www.CanadianAthletesNow.ca

The word crisis in Chinese means danger or opportunity. Clearly these women have chosen to make their crisis an opportunity for others. I applaud them.

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