Rebecca's breast cancer journey

Hi, my name is Stephanie, and my good friend Rebecca recently received devastating news; she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This is Rebecca's second time battling cancer, her first being ovarian cancer eight years ago. She has always been open about her story in hopes that discussing her experience with cancer and her subsequent battle with mental health and depression would open up the conversation for others. Rebecca has always been passionate about helping others and has always put other people first. She has been an integral part of many communities in the Comox Valley. Now Rebecca needs our help.

Some of you may recognize Rebecca as the biking unicorn coach. After relocating to the Comox Valley in 2018, she joined the coaching team of Gravity MTB. She quickly fell into the role of ‘stoke spreader’ with the ladies and youth groups. Never being one to sit still for long, Rebecca started down the road to help get kids on bikes. She knew what it was like growing up without, and she didn’t want income to be a factor in preventing families from being able to access the mental and physical health benefits of cycling. In 2020, Rebecca hosted Pinkbike’s Share The Ride program in the Comox Valley, which saw fourteen deserving children receive brand new bikes, helmets and coaching (Share the Ride). To this day, if you ask her, she will say it was her greatest achievement. Rebecca currently volunteers as a ride leader with the UROC ladies rides and is also the President and founding member of the Spread The Stoke Foundation (Spread the Stoke). Some of you reading this may even be wearing your unicorn socks as we speak!

As General Manager of Foxy Box Courtenay in 2020, Rebecca was the first of the franchises to bring on board a transgender ambassador and push for gender equality throughout the company. In 2021, Rebecca and her team won the Chamber of Commerce award for Diversity and Inclusion (Diversity and Inclusion). In 2022, Rebecca signed on their second trans ambassador, joining forces with the community to aid advocacy and promote LGBTQ2S+ rights. Rebecca is sponsoring the first "Beers and Queers" event on May 25th, 2022, helping to promote awareness in the Comox Valley (Beers for Queers).

While Rebecca may not have been in the Comox Valley long, her presence has already been felt far and wide. Rebecca gives so much to her community; it's time we give something back.

This fundraiser will help Rebecca to cover her upcoming medical expenses. Rebecca's specialists are in Victoria, which means multiple trips back and forth over the next few weeks and months. Costs for hotel stays, food, gas, and more are all before the surgery even occurs. Post-surgery care and recovery will be at least six weeks, during which Rebecca will not be able to work. Rebecca's husband, Sean, may also require time away from work to help with Rebecca's treatment and recovery.