I'm excited to be writing about an adventure I'll be taking in just under 3 weeks.

I will be headed to Greenland, hiking and sea kayaking with a group of people in order to raise funds for a Quebec-based charitable organization called "On the Tip of the Toes Foundation" http://pointedespieds.com/index.php?id=1&lang=eng.  This organization takes teenagers living with cancer on wilderness expeditions. 

The Foundation has 4 main purposes:

• Change how the kids see themselves and relate to their cancer
• Rebuild their self-confidence and show them that anything is possible
• Give them back (at least part of) their childhood
• Give them a wonderful experience and an appreciation of nature

The idea of our trip is to give this group an experience similar to what the teens get, and in the process build a new group of supporters for the important work this organization is doing.  

My role is to lead the personal/professional development component of the trip.  I am charged with bringing new perspectives about life and work to the participants, helping them grow as people, and moving them further along the path toward some of their dreams.

Last week I went to Montreal to meet most of the participants.  This of course really brought the trip to the forefront for me. 

Check out their website.  You can watch a video of one of the trips which will give you a good idea of what they're up to, or you can read some of the kids' testimonials.  It's inspiring.

Here's to appreciating the gift of life.