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t's .1 picture of happier Ilimcs. with Chris Holder lovingly cradling his wife Cathy m the crux of his arm. in. beautiful Cape (ind serves as a hack (imp The Watcrloo couple were doing something they both loved m do last hum- mer - travelling and hiking. the perfect vacation "Cathy and t used to ride um bikes a lot," said Chris. But hidden beneath the bicycle helmet were tell-tale signs of the latest round of chemotherapy treatments Cathy had undergone as she battled leukemia. The irony was that Cathy had already beaten the aggressive form of breast cancer doctors diagnosed in 2001, but the treatment proved to be worse than the cure. The massive amounts of chemotherapy she need to beat the disease led to a lit- tle know side effect - treat- ment-induced leukemia. Undaunted, Cathy and her family created a Web site called bmt4cathy.com. beat- ing the bushes ta find some- one who would be a bone marrow match. They didn't realize how little awareness there was of the need out there. and did all they could to raise the profile of the Canadian Blood Services' bone mar- rganizers said that it Owasn't a campaign stop. but tell that to the little girl with the blue roses waiting patiently nut side of RDM Corporation?, Waterloo office Friday for Conservative leader Stephen Harper’s vim. Harper's Ittttt on the campaign trail, say thttiit planners Sophie Twardus, l2. a precocious Grade 6 student at Mere (ilisaheth-Bruyitre in Watcrloo . who said she Br Boa Vanna ' 'Immn le 5ng BY WVmwunc chronicleftefr, Cancer victim's family enters event to promote awareness Ridin' and Stridin' for Cathy “my were hoprng against all hope that they would hit the gamut lottery and find someone unrelated to Cathy who would prove a match. Even if they couldn'l tind someone for Cathy, the windy reasoned at least they would be able m help sumo- um- in similar dire straits. row donor list rhe match never came In “me for Cathy. as she lost her battle with the disease last Halloween. But there war a lot of good that came out ofthe spirit she showed. The Canadian Blood Sen vices saw a spike in people registering with the donor list after hearing Cathy's story. A special donor clinic organized by her daughter Courtney. 20. at her school in Michigan got almost a quarter of the student body to register. And miracle of miracles. one of them turned out to be a unrelated bone marrow donor for someone in the ICS., and is making that life saving donation on April 25, "One of the kids at school here told me he was a match for someone." said Courtney. an engineering student at Kettering Univer- sity in Flint. Mich. "He's matched. he donating and he's doing a transplant as a result of that bone marrow drive. “R's absolutely amazing. It was so awesome that he could be saving somebody's wasn't missing anything important at her French Catholic school that after- noon. was more interested in the politics ofthe day She said her brother thought Stephen Harper was a [arm ing speaker, but she felt he made a dynamic presenta- tion earlier in the day at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. And (won though she can't vole, she wanted the Corv,crvatIve leader to know which wav she was Mining, CITY NEWS Chris and Courtney have also decided to continue Cathy's legacy by entering as the bmt4cathy team at this week's Great Ride n' Stride for cancer event at Universi- ty Stadium in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. where they hope to encour- age more people to join the unrelated bone marrow life." Thafs why there were no red roses in the bunch. Chris and Cathy Holder during happier times at Cape Cod. Mass. last summer. "They're all blue roses, no red," said Twardus, whose dad. Edward, is part of the selection committee drafting candidates for the local Kitchener-Waterloo riding. presently held by MP Andrew Telegdi, "II took some work to findthem," she said after handing them nwr to limp "I don't mind red roses." said Harper, "I'm not that registry. Chris said the family have had their struggles since Oct. M, but they want- ed to get right back on the bike again to keep the work "Courtney had done it for years. but I was busy doing other things like being at the hospital." said Chris. "We're going to have a small but notable presence." partisan." But it was a decidedly partisan crowd that greeted Harper, including former K- W candidate Steven Strauss, who said he wasn't seeking the party nod this time after still being a little exhausted from last lune's federal elec- lion. Inca] executive members of the Conservatives hud- died with Harper before muting the RUM plant. another local high -tech sun cevi stun; that electronically they've dune on Caihy's behalf. "h's about awareness." said Chris. “I want to change things so that people can organize this stuff and amu- ally make it happen." Chris said it doesnt" take much to get registered with the service. Chances are you might never get a call. processes cheques for seven of the I0 major banks in the US. The Conservative leader was given a quick tour of the facilities. and shown the technology. Strauss said it was impor- tant recognition of the Waterloo Region. which boasts the country's lowest unemployment rate. and the importance of it high-tech senor in driving future our nomic development. It also c/poke In (he importance of Ontario to :Then yet; do nothing for wBheeo mom 555 King St. N. C Mom-m In GTO Gas Bar . m,wmb2t,-cg the next 20 years." said Chris. "And if you're one of the lucky ones they call you." [he team is only starting out with five members. but Courtney said the goal is to grow the group each year, and In get the word out to more people. "You never knuw who you could end up being a match for," she said, with 250 Canadians currently looking for a match. "Every extra person that gets regis- tered brings us one step closer to finding everybody a match." Chris is going to do his part by updating the Web site and continuing the important work that he and Cathy started last year. It's a grassroots campaign they hope becomes a grass fire. “The idea fdr us is to encourage participation," said Chris "We'd like to make it a bigger crowd each year and have them go out into their piece of the community and have people say, 'What's with the T-shirt, what's with the bmt?' "We'll get them to check the Web site, that type of thing, and hopefully just start something." The Holders will update that story at www.bmt4cathysom. For more ihformation about bone marrow donor list. call I-888. 236- 6283. the Conservatives should Harper and his party draft a non-confidence motion over the next month, lead- ing to a spring election. Explosive testimony from the Gomery Inquiry into the sponsorship scandal has led In speculation that the opposition parties would bring down Prime Minister Paul Martin's minority Lib» eral government. Mid while Strauss would PLS Blackberry “all" 5 Data Continued on page ti 880' 1 477 TELUS