It usually starts with a vacation. We travel down to the beautiful beaches of Cuba, perhaps Cayo Coco, looking for sunshine. But for my friend and local advocate, Kim Passmore, one trip revealed a reality that she simply couldn’t ignore. Behind the resorts and sandy shores, a crisis is unfolding for the island’s animal population. (more…)
This year we are helping Justin Landers’ family with our Three Little Wishes program. Our hearts are truly broken knowing that Justin knew about Three Little Wishes but did not live to see how it would help his family. His wife and children are now facing significant financial distress, and we want to do everything we can to ease that burden and honour Justin’s memory. (more…)
I’m so grateful to Alex for writing this beautiful story about her and her Mom. The legacy her Mom left and the way Alex is raising Sadie is a great example of how love is all we need . . .
Monica XO
My mom was my best friend I never knew I had.
When I look at Sadie and me, all I see is my mom and me.
I remember she would always say, “You don’t get it, but one day you will.” As soon as I saw baby Sadie on (more…)
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with beautiful Alexandra Guthrie, our 2024 Three Little Wishes single Mama of her precious three and a half year old daughter, Sadie.
Alex’s story begins with Sadie.
In December of 2020 Alex gave birth to a healthy baby girl. When the pandemic hit and everyone was in their own little bubble, Alex was happy to be in a bubble with her precious Sadie. It was just the two of them for a long time.
Alex breastfed Sadie just past her 1st birthday (which, by the way, is supposed to be great for lowering the risk of breast cancer). After Sadie’s second birthday Alex found a lump that she truly believed was a clogged milk duct. Just as Alex & Sadie were ringing in the new year Alex was waiting for results of a biopsy which told her she had breast cancer. The diagnosis was stage two hormonal breast cancer. Terrified and feeling all alone, Alex battled thru chemo treatments that took away her beautiful hair and her happiness. Sadie now had a sad sick Mommy who cried all the time. (more…)
This beautiful family photo was taken on September 3rd 2023. Just one month and one day after the MacDonald family’s lives took a traumatic turn that they could never have prepared for.
Over the last couple of months this young family has had to come to terms with their new reality.
On the afternoon of August 2nd, Jeff MacDonald had a seizure at home. It happened within a blink of an eye.
One minute he was talking to his wife while sitting on their living room chair, his wife Cassie, standing in the kitchen. Their youngest, Elias, was playing in the living room. Kyla, Aiden and Owen were upstairs.
Cassie screamed for her kids, and they called 911.
Cassie found herself giving CPR to her husband in front of their children, screaming and begging for her husband not to leave her and the kids screaming for their Dad to not leave them. To just hang on. Help was coming.
Jeff wasn’t responding. Cassie was certain he was dying in her arms with their children watching. Cassie said it was the most helpless feeling in the world.
The Fire department, EMTs and police all showed up quickly. They removed the family from the house so they could help him. Miraculously, they got him to come through. He was rushed to Joseph Brant. A cat scan discovered that Jeff had 3–4 lesions on his brain and 2 nodules on his right lung. Lung biopsy, blood work, more tests and 8 days in the hospital. On August 17th, just 1 day after his 37th Birthday, the MacDonald family got the devastating news that Jeff has Stage 4 Metastatic Cancer – melanoma. The point of origin is unknown but it has gone through his blood to his lung, and also to his brain.
Jeff is now under the care of a team of oncologists at the Juravinski Cancer Centre. With treatment, they have given Jeff 40 months at best.
Jeff had his 1st round of radiation on September 5th. On September 6th, he was back in the hospital. Things took a turn for the worse. September 8th at 8pm Cassie was told to get the kids to the hospital, that they had 24–48hours left with him.
This amazing father, his family’s warrior, fought for his life, for his kids, for his wife and miraculously he was discharged September 13th.
He’s home. Doing everything as he would normally. Just adding in a few more house projects – building furniture, redecorating the house. Walks, walks and more walks.
Nothing is stopping him.
Thank you so much to the MacDonald family for sharing your story and for being this year’s Three Little Wishes family.
The glamjulz community is here to support you in any way that we can.
Monica XO
Dear friends, with your help, we are able to make a huge difference in the lives of families suffering from the financial burdens of cancer. Please consider our 2023 Three Little Wishes Necklace as part of your gift giving this holiday season. Click HERE to order now.
In April of 2021 I was feeling physically at my very worst.
My left hip was killing me, I had joint pain in my wrists, to the point where I was wearing wrist guards to bed, my energy had plummeted and yes, I had gained the infamous Covid 19 pounds.
I blamed it on menopause. I was indulging in cookies (more…)
Trying new things really is the spice of life.
For the last couple of months, I’ve been scrolling through Instagram and becoming more and more intrigued by resin art! The works of art people are making are incredibly unique.
I am obsessed (more…)
March 2020 is a month that most of us will remember for the rest of our lives. We will share the stories of our experiences with generations to come.
For Julie Rock it was a month that changed her life forever. (more…)
Totally by coincidence, in perfect timing with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, last Thursday I had my very first High Tea experience in Niagara on the Lake at the Prince of Wales hotel .
Rewind back to 2020, there was some point where we were allowed out of our houses and able to go out and (more…)
