Rizdales Roots Round Up 2015

This year we lost someone very special to the Rizdales family. Suzanne Crew, the beautiful and vibrant sister of our drummer and dear friend Steven Crew, was diagnosed with cancer last year and to know Suzanne is to realize how crazy that sounds. She was alive in every sense of the word, the light in the room, the leader on the ice, the girl you wanted to be best friends with. Life was great for Suzanne and it was only getting better. She and her longtime sweetheart, Mike, were engaged last summer after many years together and we were all excited for what lay ahead for them until last fall, when pain in her hip led Suzanne to seek help, and all of those life plans were put on hold.


Supported by Mike, along with Steven, Alan and David, the best brothers any girl could ask for and her incredibly devoted, loving parents, Catherine and Vic and many more friends and family members, Suzanne fought back as the disease made it's way through her body. She was brave and she was strong, no matter what obstacles stood in her way and she came back from the brink over and over again because she wasn't ready to go, and no one was ready to let her go. But eventually the choice was taken way from Suzanne and she was finally pain free, passing away peacefully on the morning of April 22, 2015. She is missed every day by everyone who knew and loved her.

When we started discussing this year's Rizdales' Roots Roundup in memory of George O'Connor, Tom and I wanted to honour Suzanne any way we could and we decided that all the funds raised at this years event would be donated in Suzanne's name. We asked the Crew family to decide on a charity or family to support this year and I am so pleased that they have chosen the Rigopoulos family as the recipients.

Diana Rigopoulos (Dee to her family) was a beautiful, hardworking single mother of 3 children who dedicated her life to their happiness. She was an ICU clerk at University Hospital in London, Ontario and a devout soccer Mom, always putting her children's needs first. In December 2014, Diana was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, an extremely rare cancer, and a shocking diagnosis as she hadn't experienced any symptoms. She endured 10 rounds of chemo, receiving her treatment in the morning and then being home, cooking dinner for her children by the evening. When the chemo didn't work she endured multiple surgeries, initially having 31 tumors removed from her right lung, and then having a portion of her left lung and diaphram removed. She never complained, she was up and moving within 24 hours of her surgeries and her focus always was on her kids. Dying wasn't an option, she was brave every step of the way and an inspiration to her family, who have banded together to support her children throughout this heartbreaking ordeal.

In the spring, after suffering from a severe headache, a large tumor was discovered on the left side of Diana's forehead and she underwent emergency surgery to remove it. She finally came home on June 30 with a shopping list in hand to prepare for a Canada Day celebration, her first priority always being her kids' happiness. But within two weeks Diana was back in hospital, the cancer had spread again and sadly, there was nothing that could be done to stop it. On July 24, 2015, surrounded by all of her friends and family, Diana peacefully passed away.

This year the proceeds of the Rizdales Roots Round up will be donated to the beautiful family that Diana has left behind. Her two sons, Everton (who just turned 10) and Theo (who will be 9 in October) are avid soccer players, in fact they made it into the Whitecaps Soccer Academy. Their little sister is Georgia, a beautiful 4 year old who in her grandmother's words is a toughie and very smart. Diana knew that her children would be left in good hands, surrounded with love from their Grandparents,  Aunts Elena, Maria and Angela and their loving cousins. They talk about their Mom everyday and she will never be forgotten.

Please help The Rizdales remember these two incredible women by donating to the Roots Round Up fund. All donations will be going directly to Everton, Theo and Georgia, hopefully we can help make life just a little bit easier for them and their family. Join us on November 7, 2015 at the Richmond Tavern from 4-7pm where we will celebrate the lives of Suzanne and Diana and remember all the others that we've lost to this despicable disease, including my father George O'Connor. It will be an afternoon with good friends and great music for a very important cause. If you cannot make the event please donate online today. Thank you!