by Doreen Gee

Dear Readers: My blog below was first published as an article in January in our print magazine. The subject material about human courage is eternal - jumping time and space. This is a remarkable story of triumph against massive odds - a woman's deliverance from the depths of addiction and depression. It bears repeating!

It takes courage to battle dragons. The worst kind are in your head. Problems like depression and drug addiction can lay waste a life. Surmounting them is an Everest-like challenge. Margo Talbot is a remarkable example of human resilience against overwhelming odds. Her book, All That Glitters, describes her journey to find herself and her quest to exorcise those inner demons through a lot of hard personal work and a loving connection to the healing wonders of nature. Her story is a travel guide for all of us on how to come back from a personal hell and into a hopeful world once again.

Read more...

Dear faithful readers:

This week a guest writer, Derek Peach, is featured in this blog space. Derek talks about C.H.E.S, The Canadian Harambee Education Society, and an important event on May 8 that celebrates their work. Take it away, Derek:

Imagine escaping on horseback with a friend, at night, riding flat out and they yell "Turn left!" and you do, and thunder across a drawbridge to safety. You have those kind of friends with that level of trust; we all do. Two years ago, preparing for a trip to Tanzania, we went to those kind of friends and said "Give us money," and they did. We bought textbooks for kids and delivered them, and some young women who might never have gone to school were the better for it, and so was their country. Now we want to give you an opportunity to find out who those kids were and who looks after them and to also have a great evening while doing so.

Read more...

by Doreen Gee

The dark side of human nature is in our face 24/7! Sometimes the news is a boiling cesspool of all the rotten things that human beings can do to one other. What a healing breath of springtime fresh air to see people acting with extraordinary compassion to someone suffering among us. The outpouring of public support for the plight of Peggy Mahoney and her son is nothing short of phenomenal! It reminds me that the good side of human nature always trumps the bad and for every story about Mr. Hyde out there, there are a million tales of Dr. Jekyll, with people ready and willing to help someone in their time of need.

Read more...

by Doreen Gee

Love can make you do the strangest things … like giving someone half your liver. This is a story of profound love, sacrifice and courage, and a woman’s need for the community to stand behind her in the most terrifying time of her life.

On May 7th, Peggy Mahoney of Victoria will get a new liver and a new life. She is scheduled to undergo a liver transplant in Vancouver General Hospital. Peggy has serious liver disease, but there is no rhyme or reason to this crushing diagnosis. No addiction or alcohol problem, no problem with Hepatitis. Talk about a cruel twist of fate for someone living a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes the gods play dice with our lives.

Read more...