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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 30, 2008 - 15 PHOTOS BY RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER INSIDE RIDE: At White Oaks Secondary School's Inside Ride, left, the Riding for Booty Team includes, on bike, Valerie Marshall, and cheering, from left, Mallory Moe, Sonya Lafleur, Heather Thompson, Brittany Sadkowski, Emilie Cree, and Alex Hockin. At Abbey Park's Inside Ride, the Fab Fest Team included, on bike Rachel Oliver, from left, Melissa Fox, Sandra Dedesko and Emily Murra. Standing ovation for Brooks Continued from page 14 Sharpe brought to the table. Their mileage was recorded and visually displayed throughout the event. For an hour in the morning, 30 teams competed. Thirty more competed in the afternoon. With just a little help from Inside Ride program co-ordinator Larry Optis, Brooks took second place in the first hour. This is no small feat for anyone, much less Brooks. Doctors found two unrelated brain tumours in his brain when he was three years old, and he endured years of treatments and therapy before being declared in remission at the age of 14. Now 16, he has lost part of his vision, including peripheral, and is now epileptic. He has a guide dog, Boston, who is able to detect seizures. Nothing can squash Brooks' will, however, and his experience with cancer has empowered him to help others in a big way. Brooks was a self-proclaimed coach potato, until a brief encounter with Lance Armstrong at a conference in Toronto inspired him to raise money for cancer research. It would entail cycling from Vancouver to Halifax over the course of 19 days, in the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride, which kicks off June 2. Brooks will be riding alongside 49 others, out of whom he is the youngest. His mother will be coming, as she is a nurse. The money he and the others raise in order to ride will be directed to childhood cancer charities and pediatric oncology programs and centres across Canada. When Brooks spoke to a teacher about his endeavor, she connected with principal John Stieva and got the ball rolling. "Once you're out of it (cancer), you really want to help people," he said. There were many others there who also wanted to help. Krystal Archer is 22 years old, and, like Brooks, a brain cancer survivor. She went through eight rounds of chemotherapy for three days at a time, and it caused her hair to fall out. She has been in remission for 16 years. Archer uses safety pins and wire to make angels, which she sells to raise funds for cancer research. She can make one in just 15 minutes, she says. Archer says the artistic talent runs in her mother's side of the family. Sadly, her mother died of breast cancer four years ago. Garrett Lawrence, a Grade 9 student, couldn't ride one of the stationary bikes but that didn't stop him from participating. His cerebral palsy confines him to a wheelchair, but he rode his physiobike. Teams with names such as Charlie and his Cyclin Angels (all teachers, including head caretaker Dave Margetts), Masters of the Wheel, and Beastly Beach Girls raced as fast as they could in the auditorium, with one called La Resistance finishing in an impressive first place -- 31.21 km in one hour. Anthony Creo and his team have been biking to school together since they were seven or eight years old. The White Oaks Inside Ride was dedicated to Barrie resident Adam Fedosoff, a 13 year old who was diagnosed with leukemia. Fedosoff was a top scorer for an AA hockey team, but now undergoes maintenance chemotherapy. At press time, results showed White Oaks raised $23,600, an amount that includes proceeds from the large scale raffle, barbecue and bake sale held during the event, in addition to pledges. The school is still counting proceeds from some pledges, and will be holding a silent auction tomor during its parent-teacher interview night. Brooks was presented with a letter of congratulations during the closing ceremony and received a nearly three-minute standing ovation. DENTURES COMPLETE DENTURE Mynt Hair Studio would like to welcome Janna Coleman to their team. 2530 Third Line, Oakville Tel: (905) 827-0803 www.mynthairstudio.com 349 905-842-8209 ea. $ LIMITED TIME OFFER PROUDLY SERVING HALTON SINCE 1987... Be a Mentor SALES · SERVICE TO ALL MAKES (We need you ­ NOW) Be a Champion The Future of Home Comfort Eco Energy Rebates (OPA) Ontario Power Authority Rebates Carrier Cool Cash Rebates Financing OAC Up to 1 year deferred payment See us for details To yourself To your Mentee To your Community To your Industry (Its only 6 hours for 4 months Flexibility to schedule) SHOWROOM: 4380 SOUTH SERVICE RD. Between Appleby and Walkers Line 905-681-3440 Call: Antony Vadakkanchery Halton Mentoring Partnership Program (905) 845-9430 ext 8134 Antony.vadakkanchery@sheridaninstitute.ca