Jackson wasn’t directly involved with this website or the work we’re doing for Darcy and others. That’s because she was fighting her own battle – with cancer. I just found out that she lost that battle a little while ago. I saw her again at the fundraising event we had a few weeks ago. I can’t say she was a friend of mine in the traditional sense of the word, but I wish she had been. She was a wonderful person. It was a shock to see her again and realize what she was going through. At the same time, her spirit was in no way diminished by her circumstances. It was a joy to see after so long.

She was one of those people who always made you smile and be grateful to have been in her presence. Spending time with her made you happy to have done so, and her joy of life was infectious. I hadn’t seen her for a while, but, despite her own trials, I thought it was fitting to to her again —and for the last time—at an event where we all got together to celebrate Darcy’s own life. Nobody really knows how they will adapt to, or be be changed by, adversity. For Jackson, it make no difference. She went through her own struggles, but she still had a love for life that was never diminished by anything she went through.

Life really has nothing to do with wealth, power, or fame. The only things that really matter in the end are joy, happiness, and sharing the time you have with others. There is a love for life that bleeds through the edges of common interaction. As I reflect on my own life, there are several people who I can point to who have been important to me—whether I’ve told them or not. Jackson is one of those. And not because she tried to be, just because she was by simply being herself.

I loved her, and I will miss her. But we are all part of this world—and nothing is ever really lost. She will stay a part of me, and everybody else whose life she touched.

I was Darcy’s therapeutic recreationist, and then had the pleasure to develop a friendship with her.  My passion is to improve the quality of life of others. I am inspired by Darcy’s journey, passion for life, and involvement in the community. I am honoured to be a part of the RABIT Foundation, and look forward to seeing it  grow and improve people’s lives. Darcy’s story and strength have made a positive impact on my life.

My name is Regina—they call me Just Gina. I am the 6th of 11 children, born in Buffalo, New York, and we moved to Canada in 1967.

I was just 5-years old when my brother came running into our home on a very blizzardy day in January of 1968, merely four months after we moved to Canada to be “safer”. He screamed to my Mom that my 3 sisters were in a terrible car accident, although Lisa was actually still in bed.

My Mom threw a coat over her pyjamas and rain boots onto her bare feet—readily available clothing, but not nearly what the forecast required. She ran the distance to the scene, being about a half kilometre from our front door, and there she faced a parent’s worst nightmare. Easily recognizable by the matching ski jackets and hats the Dee girls were given at Christmas, she spotted Betsy and Darcy being feverishly worked on by the attending paramedics.

Darcy was pronounced dead at the scene and my recollection of the story was that my Mom slapped the paramedic and informed him he was not God. This prompted expedited maneuvers to get both into the ambulance and on to the hospital.

In the next seven years, our family dynamics changed, were challenged, and this forced us to persevere at all costs. And costs we incurred. The net result is how we morphed into the cohesive team we are today.  Brothers and sisters, partners, caregivers, doers and, most notably, friends.

Darcy is my big sister, I have fond memories of walking her to church back in the day when she managed on crutches. I remember the tomboy battles I got myself into when people stared at her or poked fun at her “differences”. I learned acceptance, adaptation, diversity and empathy long before I could spell those words.

Cut to now….

I am a Projects Director with a design/engineering background for a very high stress, fast paced corporation in Toronto, Canada. I manage a group of people, a series of projects and a litany of time, schedules and budgets.

So in conversing with Darcy over the years as to what constituted “good-life”, we brainstormed about the “Darcy House”. I am in construction, I know how to build, I know how to have fun and I know what family is – so building the Darcy House will be easy – right?

Darcy’s health has been constantly challenged; being hit a 2nd time by a pickup truck in 2011, breast cancer diagnosis in 2014 and most recently an extended hospital stay with pneumonia creating now a chronic choking hazard. These combined afflictions have made it necessary for Darcy to have full time care.

At just 57-years of age, with the mind energy of a perky 16-year old, she should hardly be relegated to a seniors’ convalescence home. It is safe, the food is healthy, the atmosphere is pleasant and the location is serene. All that is missing is LIFE.

RABIT will be the fix, we promised each other. We will create community housing. We will add thriving, stimulating, thought provoking activities for Darcy and others daily.

We just need to raise 2 million dollars and to date, my lottery ticket purchasing has not paid off.

We launched the revised plan in small bites, reachable steps, measurable smart goals: RABIT for Darcy Day Programs. Let’s get Darcy away from the mundane and into mainstream.

Art classes, pet therapy, music therapy, nature hikes, games and challenges. Spice this up with monthly outings to zoos, museums, shopping malls. The ideas and lists are endless now.

RABIT has attracted the most amazing volunteers from 14 to 60 and with each little ray of encouragement, we can make stuff happen. Let’s get the TV turned off and the minds and spirits turned on.

I’m in—are you?

I’m one of the members of the RABIT Foundation, the administrator of this website, and an advisor on technology issues. I’m also the “resident editor” of our written material. It helps that I have a philosophy degree, and a long career in the computer and software industries.  (Because that’s clearly the career path that somebody with my academic background should choose….) In addition to that, I’m currently employed as a technical editor.

I first met Gina Dee about 8 years ago when I hired her to renovate the condo I lived in at the time. Much to our mutual surprise, I had a keen aesthetic mind and something of a natural affinity towards interior design. It’s almost always the case that designers and their clients don’t get along—and it’s often better for designers to keep their clients at arm’s length so work can progress unhindered. In our case, we almost never disagreed on anything— when we did it was minor—and we were both excited to hear the other’s ideas. It was an easy decision to work with her again on a subsequent update to the condo, as well as on an even bigger renovation of the house I moved into after selling the condo.

Gina and I ended up as friends. For several years now I’ve been talking with her about Darcy, offering advice and support when I could, and generally maintaining an interest in the health and welfare of her older sister. We frequently tossed ideas back and forth about what a “Darcy House” could look like—its size, facilities, location, that sort of thing. This was all something of an intellectual exercise until things got to the point with Darcy that it became urgent we do something sooner rather than later.

I know there are more people in Darcy’s situation than just Darcy. Although we have started this foundation with her as the catalyst, and named it after her, there are surely many other people we can help to live better lives too. While I know that each of us touches the lives of other people in an uncountable number of ways, and none of us leave this world without leaving some kind of an impression behind, it’s seldom that—parenthood aside!— anybody gets a chance to do something that they can point to objectively as an accomplishment that they are proud of. I’m proud of this, and of all of the people I’ve worked with so far.