Marie Campbell, a triathlete and cardiac nurse at BC Children's Hospital, has combined her two loves, cycling and caring for children, and organized a charity cycling event, the second annual Triple Crown for Heart, July 30. The event, benefiting the B.C. Children's Hospital heart unit, will challenge cycling enthusiasts with a 112-kilometre ride up Seymour, Grouse and Cypress mountains. Funds from the event will be used to provide care packages of toiletries for parents who arrive with their sick children and only the clothes on their backs. The funds will also be used to maintain a healing garden, refurbished last year with money raised at the event. "It can be pretty traumatic when a family is transported with little advance notice to B.C. Children's because of a problem with their child's heart, and they often don't have the basic necessities when they arrive," said Campbell. Approximately 400 children from across the province were treated at the unit last year. Last year, nurses began to refurbish a hospital deck to make it a "healing" area where children with acute conditions could enjoy time outdoors. "Moving around increases blood flow, helps with breathing and helps with the healing process. An outside garden area near the unit encourages patients and their families to leave their rooms and enjoy a bit of activity and fresh air, while still being close to the medical care they need," Campbell said. Registration for the ride is $45 (charitable receipt to be issued), and includes snacks and drinks along the route, a post-event party on top of Cypress Mountain and prizes. For more information, see triplecrownforheart.ca.
