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Day 7 January 11
Panagiotis (Peter) Damianakis
age: 2, birthday: November 29, 1999
submitted by Cos Damianakis (Uncle)

You cannot imagine that a simple trip to the walk-in clinic, turns out to be devastating news for a family. On the evening of August 23, 2001, Eva and Telis (parents) had taken their child to a walk-in clinic for a cold and fever that had developed. During the check-up the Doctor suggested that they should take their child down to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. With worry in their faces, they prayed nothing was wrong. I had arrived that night as they received the news that little Panagiotis is diagnosed with Leukemia. There was nothing more that could be said at that time except that they had to keep him and run further tests. The sadness, shock, emotions and unanswered questions were over-whelming.

As of mid-December, it has been 4 months, the sadness continues, the emotions have somewhat subsided and the unanswered questions are now far and few for the near term. Panagiotis has now had four Chemotherapy treatments and we have come to realize that he is in one of the best Hospitals in the world, under the best care and God is on his side. Our wish, just like anyone else that has gone through this, is for him to be in remission and beat it.

Jacquie Craig
submitted by Cheryl Linka

BIG HEART - These are the two words that best describe Jacquie Craig. Her big heart guides her life and always has throughout her sixty years of life.

Jacquie is a devoted daughter, a sister to four siblings, an aunt to eight nieces and nephews, great aunt to four, proud mother of Stephen, now 30, who she has raised and supported on her own since he was 4. Through hard work she has managed to own her own home in Brampton. Currently a hardworking employee for Concord Transportation Inc., she has always worked hard for her various employers throughout her employable years. Jacquie was also the successful owner of her own business for ten years in Orangeville, "The Country Clay Bin", a ceramic shop where she taught ceramics and sold supplies, until moving to Brampton in 1984.

For me, she is an Aunt who I have always known to have a love of learning and of language. An avid reader, she has an interest in words and their meanings, and was forever correcting my grammar as a child. I believe she must feel successful, as she asked me to write this for her! She is also very supportive and proud of my return to university as an adult and finds little ways to let me know that.

My aunt is woman with a big heart that sees need in those around her. Instead of talking about the plight of those in need, she does something about it. Auntie Jacquie is not a talker; she is a doer, an organizer. She has donated blood 77 times, and encourages others to follow her example. She has raised thousands of dollars for Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto through the selling of Sick Kids clothing annually. She collects sleeping bags and clothing for the homeless year round. She also sponsors families in need at Christmas time, giving those that are in need a Christmas to remember by collecting money, food and gift items from co-workers, family and friends. The joy she gains from this is evident, and one feels happy to support her efforts. What strikes me about her is that she does not seek nor expect any recognition for her efforts. Even though she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in November, she made sure that she took care of her three families for Christmas this past year.

As a family member she is very supportive. I have seen her organize family reunions to encompass her DadŐs family of thirteen siblings, birthday parties and picnics. She was an anonymous gift giver to her Dad for well over a year, sneaking gifts to him in the dead of night accompanied by humorous notes from the groundhog on groundhog day, the Easter bunny at Easter etc., giving him something to talk about to everyone who visited him during that year as he struggled to figure out who the mystery gift giver was, often discussing it with her. She has also continued the tradition of her Mother, giving out Bayberry candles at Christmas, bringing a part of Nana and herself to each of us. She also has been a great support in fundraising for my niece who has special needs, organizing a garage sale for example, as well as providing emotional support for her sister in dealing with the realities of a child with special needs, and freely offering her love to Caroline when many are uncomfortable.

These are but a few examples of the kind of woman my Aunt is. Her passion is gardening and she has transformed her property into an almost grassless myriad of flowers and plants, many that she grows from seed herself on her grow shelf. Last spring and summer she and her older sister Yvonne and brother-in-law Bill, with a little help from her son, niece and great nephew, also looked after her DadŐs flower and vegetable gardens, as he was recovering from surgery and not able to look after the gardens himself.

Now, as she prepares to fight the battle against Cancer I am struck by her strength once again. She recognizes the need of women to know about this illness and offered to let many feel the lump in her breast before it was removed. She knows when she needs the support of her sister Yvonne and isnŐt afraid to ask for it. She includes her family in her fight when she can, even as she worries about the way we are dealing with her illness. She appreciates and recognizes all the love and support we give her. On Christmas day Auntie Jacquie drove up from Brampton to Orangeville for a cup of tea with me. She told me that she isnŐt surprised that she has breast cancer, as she has had every other illness and operation that her Mom had. Today weŐre going wig shopping with her. We will face this together with her, but the strength is within her to win this fight. And all the while she continues to organize her clothing drives etc., driven by her big heart.

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Jacquie Craig