Join Us for The Dream Ride 2021 on July 24th!
At The Dream Factory, their mission is clear: to make dreams come true for kids in Manitoba battling life-threatening illnesses and to be a source of joy, laughter and hope for kids and families in our province going through an incredibly difficult experience.
They rely solely on the generous support of people and businesses in our community to continue bringing dreams to life. That is why we are hosting 'Dream Ride 2021'. To help make Dreams come true for kids in our community going through some really tough stuff. Kids like sisters Brie and Aria.
Meet Brie and Aria!
Two tough sisters who are dreaming BIG!
Meet Brie and Aria
Aria (2 years old) and Brie (4 years old) have already fought tremendous battles at a very young age. Aria has a debilitating neurological disorder and Brie has cancer, specifically Ewing Sarcoma.
At 18 months old Aria’s left eye kept going inwards and occasionally so did her right eye. Aria used to stand, use her walking toy, go around furniture and could sit up perfectly. Now she does not even try to walk, has no balance, can’t sit up properly, and will cry out if you try to stand her up or she will just fall backwards. Her crawling turned into her just dragging her legs behind her and finally to not being able to move.
An initial visit with Brandon pediatricians yielded no answers and resulted in an emergent referral to the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg. Since then Aria has met with several specialists, had bloodwork, genetic testing, MRI, spinal taps, ultrasounds, occupational health assessments and numerous other diagnostic tests.
After extensive appointments, doctors have determined Aria has a rare disease is called metachromatic leukodystrophy ( MLD ). Leukodystrophy causes problems with movement, vision, hearing, balance, ability to eat, memory, behavior, and thought. Leukodystrophies are progressive diseases meaning that the symptoms of the disease tend to get worse over time. They have given Aria about 2 years.
Brie developed a lump on her left cheek just below her ear around Christmas. On December 28 she went for an ultrasound in Neepawa which resulted in an emergent referral to a pediatric oncologist at the Children’s hospital in Winnipeg. By Dec 31, she was going for a CT scan with a biopsy scheduled for January 5th, followed by a PET scan.
Brie was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting only approximately 3 children in a million. She will need ongoing treatments every two weeks, chemotherapy, and possibly surgery and radiation, in Winnipeg for the next foreseeable future. On January 19 a port was surgically implanted to facilitate the treatments which began on January 20th. The Chemotherapy schedule has involved multiple days of treatment at Children’s hospital in Winnipeg, followed by daily injections, medications at home, and surgery for mandible (jaw) bone removable & reconstruction.
These little girls have already been through so much. Your participation in Dream Ride 2021 can help bring light to an otherwise dark time for these little warriors.
Dream Ride 2021 is on July 24th, 2021
On Saturday, July 24th, Dream Ride 2021 will take place virtually. Stay tuned for more details in the days and weeks to come!
This year - we are challenging riders to put their own special spin on The Dream Ride. There are no mandatory guidelines on how cyclists are to participate - as long as you get outside, cycle, and help raise funds for Brie and Aria.
Here's a few ideas around how some of our Dream Riders are going to participate in 2021:
Enjoy a beautiful 14KM Family Ride through Wasagaming;
Challenge yourself to a 43-50KM Road Ride through Wasagaming; OR
Ride your own route - and share on social media tagging The Dream Factory on Facebook or on Instagram (@thedreamfactorymb)
In addition to cycling, stay tuned for more opportunities to help make dreams come true including raffles, contests, and some very cool Dream Ride merch for sale!
Please make sure to adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines while preparing and participating. Stay safe and have fun!
How YOU CAN HELP in this Community Fundraiser:
1. ENTER the 2021 Dream Ride as a participant! Collect donations online, or CLICK HERE to use our offline pledge form and accept cash and credit donations from your friends and family.
2. SPONSOR this local fundraiser - contact Andrew at The Dream Factory at (204) 989-4010 or by email at andrew@thedreamfactory.ca for more information.
3. DONATE by monetary donation, prize donation, and/or your services!