Soaring Beyond Transverse Myelitis
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SOARING BEYOND MARATHON CAMPAIGN
In my personal journey through life, I’ve come to understand the importance of surrounding yourself with people who inspire you,force you to challenge yourself and question your motivation. A defining factor in this realization was the moment I met the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association’s president, Kimberley Kotar.
It was 2009 and I had just begun a new position at a private country club in Montreal. Kimberley was my colleague. We clicked instantly with similar personalities, we quickly became close. We shared common passions and beliefs and our motto became “No pain, No gain”.
I am writing this because Kimberley is far too humble to ever write something that will boast her strengths and share with everyone how dedicated and hard-working she is towards her personal journey with Transverse Myelitis and how that journey brought her to do what she does best, open her heart towards all others. She is selfless,committed, and determined She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and her "can do" attitude allows her to achieve success.
Kimberley is compassionate and empathetic. She recognizes the need to help others with their struggles with this disease.
Instead of receiving her diagnosis and feeling lost, overwhelmed and sad, Kimberley overcame and saw the bigger picture. She knew that she struggled and her dream is to educate others and reduce their struggle.Her goal is to encourage and educate everyone about this disease, from patients to family and friends of patients to doctors and medical practitioners.Her empathy, compassion, determination and devotion is what has brought together the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
As an individual, Kimberley maintains a minimum of two jobs at any given time. Behind the scenes she volunteers for animal rescue, helping in extreme situations with the animals and also coordinating and partaking in events to support the rescue. As you may already know, on top of all these commitments and her social life, she find spleasure in running. Between working, training,volunteering, and running this association I don’t know how she handling it all, but she is successful in every aspect! She answers the majority of inquiries for the CTMA, deals with much of the administrative duties, coordinates fundraising goals and events and hardly asks for our help. If you have received anything from the CTMA; our newsletter, a phone-call, email, item purchased, receipt for donation, chances are it passed through the hands of our dear president. We all do what we can to help, but she does so much work behind the scenes that often it is too late for us to lend support as KImberley has already managed to take care of it.
This devotion and determination is why I was not surprised when she said she felt that she needed to do something more. She didn’t feel as though she was doing enough for Transverse Myelitis or the Association (despite her committing the majority of her life to this cause and disease, while still being challenged by its pain and discomforts daily). Never being one to settle or sit still for too long, she announced that she was going to run a marathon in each province of Canada to bring awareness to this disease and our Association. This journey has brought several media opportunities and more impressively,sent a clear message to those suffering from the disease that more education and attention is being paid to the disease. Her attempts to educate others has made the Association more public and has assisted in the efforts to build a larger community of support and awareness for those suffering from Transverse Myelitis.
Kimberley recently completed the 9th of 10 marathons this past May 2015. She will be completing her final marathon "GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon" in Victoria, BC on October 11th, 2015 alongside fellow Canadian Transverse Myelitis Board Member, Fiona Young! Kimberley has devoted her entire life helping others who struggle and this is just one way that she pushes herself, encourages and inspires us all!
Below is a list of the races she has run so far (In addition to these she has completed two Boston Marathons, one in Miami, NYC as well as Florence)
Montreal International Marathon (Quebec) Sep. 14/08 - 3:59:20
Ottawa International Marathon (Ontario) May 24/09 3:47:41 (Boston Qualifier)
Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon (Nova Scotia) May 20/12 3:50:08
Manitoba Marathon June 16/2013 3:51:20
Edmonton Marathon (Alberta) Aug 25/13 - 3:58:13
Fredericton (New Brunswick) May 11/14 - 4:08:09
Huffin Puffin (Newfoundland) Sep 22/14 - 4:03:13
Charlottetown Marathon (Prince Edward Island) October 19/14 - 3:58:51
Saskatchewan Marathon (Saskatchewan) May 31/2015 - 4:01:03
Each marathon in itself has been a journey for her, a challenge mentally and physically with each marathon bringing enough pain that would deter most average people from continuing their goal and simply bowing out, but not Kim. She ran with plantar fasciitis, a broken toe, numbness and loss of feeling in her leg through several of the races. Through it all, she has never given up. For each race we try and generate media coverage to share her story and more importantly the story of Transverse Myelitis. Each time, we hear stories from at least one person who has been touched by her story and can relates personally to her struggle with TM. They thank Kim for her efforts. Kimberley's motivation comes from each story she hears, each letter she receives and the thought that she is helping ohters along the way. She laces up her shoes for everyone who is unable. She runs to raise awareness. She runs for YOU.
If you live in the Victoria area please make time to go and support Kimberley. Bring your signs and your cheers and help her complete her goal.Be a part of her movement! Whether you are near or far, help bring a voice to Transverse Myelitis in Canada in whichever way you feel you can contribute. Share our association, join our newsletter, discuss this disease, organize a fundraiser, sell on our marketplace or donate to our association.
Most importantly take a moment and be grateful that the world has a person like Kimberley in it and I hope that her devotion and story will inspire you in the same ways that it has mine.
WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO?
All funds being raised in this campaign go to the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association's Trust for TM Tots (www.mytm.ca). With an increasing demand for the needs of youth being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, there is a need for more equipment and assistance. Your donations have recently helped one of our tots receive a new wheelchair. There are many more who need our help.
All money raised will go towards equipment needed for our young patients and your ongoing support will ensure we can help those families in need through this difficult transition in their lives.
Tracey Flynn
Board Member, Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
Want to help us promote the CTMA?
For media inquiries contact: [email redacted]
To donate to the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
www.mytm.ca
The Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
263 Malcolm Circle
Dorval, QC
H9S 1T6
In my personal journey through life, I’ve come to understand the importance of surrounding yourself with people who inspire you,force you to challenge yourself and question your motivation. A defining factor in this realization was the moment I met the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association’s president, Kimberley Kotar.
It was 2009 and I had just begun a new position at a private country club in Montreal. Kimberley was my colleague. We clicked instantly with similar personalities, we quickly became close. We shared common passions and beliefs and our motto became “No pain, No gain”.
I am writing this because Kimberley is far too humble to ever write something that will boast her strengths and share with everyone how dedicated and hard-working she is towards her personal journey with Transverse Myelitis and how that journey brought her to do what she does best, open her heart towards all others. She is selfless,committed, and determined She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and her "can do" attitude allows her to achieve success.
Kimberley is compassionate and empathetic. She recognizes the need to help others with their struggles with this disease.
Instead of receiving her diagnosis and feeling lost, overwhelmed and sad, Kimberley overcame and saw the bigger picture. She knew that she struggled and her dream is to educate others and reduce their struggle.Her goal is to encourage and educate everyone about this disease, from patients to family and friends of patients to doctors and medical practitioners.Her empathy, compassion, determination and devotion is what has brought together the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
As an individual, Kimberley maintains a minimum of two jobs at any given time. Behind the scenes she volunteers for animal rescue, helping in extreme situations with the animals and also coordinating and partaking in events to support the rescue. As you may already know, on top of all these commitments and her social life, she find spleasure in running. Between working, training,volunteering, and running this association I don’t know how she handling it all, but she is successful in every aspect! She answers the majority of inquiries for the CTMA, deals with much of the administrative duties, coordinates fundraising goals and events and hardly asks for our help. If you have received anything from the CTMA; our newsletter, a phone-call, email, item purchased, receipt for donation, chances are it passed through the hands of our dear president. We all do what we can to help, but she does so much work behind the scenes that often it is too late for us to lend support as KImberley has already managed to take care of it.
This devotion and determination is why I was not surprised when she said she felt that she needed to do something more. She didn’t feel as though she was doing enough for Transverse Myelitis or the Association (despite her committing the majority of her life to this cause and disease, while still being challenged by its pain and discomforts daily). Never being one to settle or sit still for too long, she announced that she was going to run a marathon in each province of Canada to bring awareness to this disease and our Association. This journey has brought several media opportunities and more impressively,sent a clear message to those suffering from the disease that more education and attention is being paid to the disease. Her attempts to educate others has made the Association more public and has assisted in the efforts to build a larger community of support and awareness for those suffering from Transverse Myelitis.
Kimberley recently completed the 9th of 10 marathons this past May 2015. She will be completing her final marathon "GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon" in Victoria, BC on October 11th, 2015 alongside fellow Canadian Transverse Myelitis Board Member, Fiona Young! Kimberley has devoted her entire life helping others who struggle and this is just one way that she pushes herself, encourages and inspires us all!
Below is a list of the races she has run so far (In addition to these she has completed two Boston Marathons, one in Miami, NYC as well as Florence)
Montreal International Marathon (Quebec) Sep. 14/08 - 3:59:20
Ottawa International Marathon (Ontario) May 24/09 3:47:41 (Boston Qualifier)
Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon (Nova Scotia) May 20/12 3:50:08
Manitoba Marathon June 16/2013 3:51:20
Edmonton Marathon (Alberta) Aug 25/13 - 3:58:13
Fredericton (New Brunswick) May 11/14 - 4:08:09
Huffin Puffin (Newfoundland) Sep 22/14 - 4:03:13
Charlottetown Marathon (Prince Edward Island) October 19/14 - 3:58:51
Saskatchewan Marathon (Saskatchewan) May 31/2015 - 4:01:03
Each marathon in itself has been a journey for her, a challenge mentally and physically with each marathon bringing enough pain that would deter most average people from continuing their goal and simply bowing out, but not Kim. She ran with plantar fasciitis, a broken toe, numbness and loss of feeling in her leg through several of the races. Through it all, she has never given up. For each race we try and generate media coverage to share her story and more importantly the story of Transverse Myelitis. Each time, we hear stories from at least one person who has been touched by her story and can relates personally to her struggle with TM. They thank Kim for her efforts. Kimberley's motivation comes from each story she hears, each letter she receives and the thought that she is helping ohters along the way. She laces up her shoes for everyone who is unable. She runs to raise awareness. She runs for YOU.
If you live in the Victoria area please make time to go and support Kimberley. Bring your signs and your cheers and help her complete her goal.Be a part of her movement! Whether you are near or far, help bring a voice to Transverse Myelitis in Canada in whichever way you feel you can contribute. Share our association, join our newsletter, discuss this disease, organize a fundraiser, sell on our marketplace or donate to our association.
Most importantly take a moment and be grateful that the world has a person like Kimberley in it and I hope that her devotion and story will inspire you in the same ways that it has mine.
WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO?
All funds being raised in this campaign go to the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association's Trust for TM Tots (www.mytm.ca). With an increasing demand for the needs of youth being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, there is a need for more equipment and assistance. Your donations have recently helped one of our tots receive a new wheelchair. There are many more who need our help.
All money raised will go towards equipment needed for our young patients and your ongoing support will ensure we can help those families in need through this difficult transition in their lives.
Tracey Flynn
Board Member, Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
Want to help us promote the CTMA?
For media inquiries contact: [email redacted]
To donate to the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
www.mytm.ca
The Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association
263 Malcolm Circle
Dorval, QC
H9S 1T6
Organizer
Tracey Leigh
Organizer
Dorval, QC
