============================================================
TRANSCRIPTION WITH SPEAKERS
============================================================
[00:00] SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Canada's podcast.
[00:05] SPEAKER_01: Hi, this is Celine Williams hosting for Ontario for Canada's podcast. My guest today is Denise Bebineck.
[00:12] SPEAKER_01: She's the founder, president and driving force behind Megan Bebineck Foundation,
[00:17] SPEAKER_01: creating a circle of hope. Welcome to these.
[00:20] SPEAKER_02: Hello.
[00:21] SPEAKER_01: I'm really excited to talk to you today.
[00:23] SPEAKER_01: And I'd love to start with a little bit of the story behind the Megan Bebineck Foundation,
[00:32] SPEAKER_01: creating a circle of hope, where it came from what it means to you, because I know it's important.
[00:40] SPEAKER_02: Okay, so I'm a mom of three children.
[00:45] SPEAKER_02: And the story starts with our youngest daughter Megan.
[00:50] SPEAKER_02: And at four years old, sadly, she was diagnosed with an operable brain tumor.
[00:57] SPEAKER_02: And we had no idea at the time of the seriousness of brain tumors in children.
[01:04] SPEAKER_02: What happened was it was just before Christmas 2000.
[01:08] SPEAKER_02: And I noticed a lot of changes in Meg that weren't typical, of course, headaches and walking with a head slant.
[01:17] SPEAKER_02: And as it became progressively worse, I decided I didn't want to have Christmas until I found out more, but what was happening.
[01:26] SPEAKER_02: So we took her down on December 22nd to sit kids here in Toronto, which truly ended up being the longest day of my life.
[01:37] SPEAKER_02: We thought maybe she had a near infection or something of that sort.
[01:41] SPEAKER_02: And then throughout a number of scans and tests, I know the doctor had a hard time telling us is he would for any family.
[01:50] SPEAKER_02: And incomprehendable. What does that mean when it's inoperative?
[01:55] SPEAKER_02: And it's malignant and it's a brain tumor.
[01:59] SPEAKER_02: And so fast forward when we sadly lost her in 2001 on Father's Day.
[02:09] SPEAKER_02: I kept saying to the doctors, this is a number one cause of death.
[02:13] SPEAKER_02: What's being done for all the other maigains waiting for someone to help them.
[02:20] SPEAKER_02: And recognizing that it's not just the child's diagnosis, it's really a family's diagnosis.
[02:26] SPEAKER_02: And so the doctor said, you know, good question.
[02:29] SPEAKER_02: We've been waiting for somebody to put the seriousness of this disease on the map.
[02:35] SPEAKER_02: So I kept as we left the hospital that day, I was surrounded by an incredible community here in Toronto, who embraced us with love and hope when Meg was sick.
[02:50] SPEAKER_02: There was a great eight student at her school that was reading the thousand cranes of home.
[02:55] SPEAKER_02: And so the school decided to make a thousand cranes and hope that it might help and heal Megan in her journey.
[03:04] SPEAKER_02: And I witnessed really miracles, I still call them in that short six months that we had her following her diagnosis.
[03:14] SPEAKER_02: When a whole school community came together in love to embrace and hug Megan.
[03:21] SPEAKER_02: And they indeed made the thousand cranes and they decorated the whole school.
[03:27] SPEAKER_02: And we actually did a crane ceremony where we put Megan down in the middle of this yard.
[03:34] SPEAKER_02: And all of her classmates and students and teachers and even people in the community came together, wrote their messages on the crane, and put them in a basket.
[03:44] SPEAKER_02: And they created this hug around her.
[03:48] SPEAKER_02: And people just looked at me and just went like it's to this day even hard to put words to.
[03:55] SPEAKER_02: It really was the power of hope and compassion when somebody is suffering, especially a young person.
[04:02] SPEAKER_02: And so when I drove away that day, I kept remembering about how this school community helped us up.
[04:10] SPEAKER_02: And what indeed is the most difficult time of family's life is having a child that's diagnosed with such a serous illness.
[04:21] SPEAKER_02: Never mind having to say goodbye.
[04:24] SPEAKER_02: And so I thought no parent should ever have to walk that path.
[04:29] SPEAKER_02: I knew there were too many other Megan's waiting for somebody to help them.
[04:33] SPEAKER_02: And as I drove away, I pulled over and I envisioned this human hug around the hospital that treated her, knowing that it was indeed the best medicine from what I experienced from what I witnessed through that time with her in the school.
[04:53] SPEAKER_02: And so I continued to keep dreaming about this human hug and thinking about what can we do to help the others.
[05:00] SPEAKER_02: I'm a former teacher.
[05:02] SPEAKER_02: So I loved kids.
[05:03] SPEAKER_02: I was always involved with children growing up as a beach counselor.
[05:08] SPEAKER_02: And I was very fortunate to travel quite a bit in my earlier years to different parts of the world and saw through a couple of in Israel how families lived there.
[05:17] SPEAKER_02: Through working with the Messiah in Africa, the how the community and families work there.
[05:24] SPEAKER_02: And through my travels through Europe, there's a common thread of community and of collaborative essence of coming together and just holding each other up in good times too and bad.
[05:40] SPEAKER_02: So after that time of that I kept thinking about this hug, I had a meeting in my kitchen and I gathered people who I knew a teacher, somebody in business, communications media, people in different disciplines that I knew would be part of what I wanted to try to achieve in this vision.
[06:01] SPEAKER_02: Knowing it wasn't just my vision.
[06:05] SPEAKER_02: It was a communal vision for the doctors, for researchers, for children who were sick, being a former teacher, for children that are healthy.
[06:13] SPEAKER_02: A chance to really put the seriousness of brain tumors on the map, but try to bring to fruition what I was thinking about the greatest gift really is our lives and our children and the preciousness of that gift of life.
[06:31] SPEAKER_02: And remembering that it's important never to take that for granted.
[06:37] SPEAKER_02: So the long story short there.
[06:40] SPEAKER_02: After this meeting, I booked a meeting down at City Hall and I tried to explain my vision to the chief police officer at the time and this the lady who was in charge of city events.
[06:51] SPEAKER_02: And everybody just stopped and loathe at me and said, what you want to permit to hug a hospital.
[07:00] SPEAKER_02: That takes hundreds of people. You've just lost your child.
[07:04] SPEAKER_02: You need time to grief and and breathe and everything else. And I just said, there's there's definitely no time be struggling on us.
[07:14] SPEAKER_02: I'll have lots of time. It's too important. Please, I'm asking you to consider it.
[07:22] SPEAKER_02: So the next morning, I get a knock at my door and two of the head city of Toronto officials with tears in their eyes and a permanent in their hand said, serendipity or what?
[07:35] SPEAKER_02: The only day we can shut down the streets in the city of Toronto is Mother's Day.
[07:41] SPEAKER_02: So you go for it. We are behind you. And then the actions started and we started having meetings of what does this look like?
[07:53] SPEAKER_02: And I envisioned a walk for the children, but I knew that there were so many families that needed to celebrate their children that had left the earth.
[08:03] SPEAKER_02: And then I knew there was too many kids waiting for us to put the seriousness on the map of brain tumors in children.
[08:12] SPEAKER_02: But I also wanted to encourage schoolteams and families of all walks of life and people coming and walking together for their child, for children, for humanity.
[08:26] SPEAKER_02: And so we got everything set up at an events level and we met down at Ontario Place where we started at the time.
[08:33] SPEAKER_02: And the first walk, people still remember it was horrendous. They called it the storm of the century.
[08:42] SPEAKER_02: And I remember a doctor walking with me and turning to me and saying, you always talk to us about the power of the human spirit.
[08:51] SPEAKER_02: And I said, absolutely, Megan was a bit of a monkey. And so I said, she's going to make sure that nothing is going to stop the power of the human hug, which in all of our hearts, indeed, is the best medicine for anyone that suffers.
[09:10] SPEAKER_02: Never mind our children.
[09:12] SPEAKER_02: So 800 people, fingertip to fingertip, that first hug back in 2001 on Mother's Day.
[09:21] SPEAKER_02: And when that last hand was joined and everybody, people came in and buses and planes and from all different walks of life, standing united for their children who were suffering for their children who had left the earth, art to early, and for their children that were healthy.
[09:40] SPEAKER_02: And in gratitude and in union and really celebrating what are we here for on this earth at the end of the day to love each other and to stand beside each other and to help those who suffer feel less alone in their journeys.
[09:57] SPEAKER_02: And so we all looked up and we decided that when that last hand was joined in that human circle of humanity, a balloon would go up.
[10:08] SPEAKER_02: And so when we saw that balloon go up, we did find out that indeed it was the first human hug of its kind ever done in the world here in Toronto.
[10:19] SPEAKER_02: And that started the journey of what at the time was called Megan's Huck, Megan's walk, and then we moved to Megan's Huck and then a few years past our first hug, we moved out to our own foundation, recognizing through various doctors that through a fellowship program that we have.
[10:42] SPEAKER_02: Have came in from different parts of the world to work here in Toronto, which is one of our I in my humble opinion, our greatest achievements is this fellowship program.
[10:55] SPEAKER_02: And once I found out how many researchers and doctors started to become involved, they live here for a couple of years, they study, they go back to their countries of which since now has been Spain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Brazil, Argentina, India, Turkey, Sweden, Australia.
[11:18] SPEAKER_02: And they are all working collaboratively, which is the essence of our research models collaboration. And when so many people, doctors, communities, the power of the hug.
[11:32] SPEAKER_02: And now 22 years later, the impact that we always say it's not just about me and Megan, it's a team of incredible human beings around our planet who've
[11:46] SPEAKER_02: stood united for these children. And when I found out that indeed people were starting to recognize that this was not just a local Toronto vision and Toronto should be extremely proud that this is where the human hug first started that forever it's right from the beginning has been a global vision.
[12:05] SPEAKER_02: I knew the importance of getting our own foundation because the hug on Mother's Day has become one of our many activities that happens throughout the calendar year.
[12:17] SPEAKER_02: I always say we're 365 and we embraced a lot of communities which has helped us get louder in our research opportunities for these children.
[12:29] SPEAKER_00: Our hosts come from all corners of Canada bringing diverse perspectives and insights to the table. Canada's podcast dot com subscribe now.
[12:39] SPEAKER_01: You have an incredibly powerful story. Thank you for sharing the beginnings of and the catalyst for the foundation.
[12:51] SPEAKER_01: I'm it's it's incredibly meaningful and I don't want to gloss over the gratitude I have for you sharing that.
[13:00] SPEAKER_01: And I'm I am curious when you say that the hug was the start of the start and now there are many more activities and obviously the foundation has grown and expanded significantly since 2000 2001.
[13:19] SPEAKER_01: What are some of the other activities of the foundation and also what are some of the impacts that your and I brought you I know you mentioned the fellowship but what are some of the impact that you're most proud of at this point in time 22ish years later.
[13:42] SPEAKER_02: So what we how we started was with volunteers and I think one of our success stories are impact when I'm losing it's we have over 60 many most of them have been with us since the beginning again from all walks of life from different parts of the city.
[14:02] SPEAKER_02: And so how we worked that out was we started various teams again being a teacher I thought it was very important to get into the school system and we started a kids helping kids school program where we did activities dress down days and pizza days and encouraged the kids to fundraise for on pediatric brain tumor research.
[14:25] SPEAKER_02: But I realize there were a lot of kids that were struggling in their own way the little johnnies that the teacher would tell me who were at the back of the class always so quiet and then after a Megan's hug spirit date they were right in the front feeling empowered you know ready to help out and and that was really important to me because that whole presence of determination and empowerment and leadership.
[14:53] SPEAKER_02: These are kids who are going to be a important part of our future and so I wanted to encourage them which is why I started the school program and we did we call them spirit day spirit weeks and then at the end of the spirit week they actually had their school.
[15:11] SPEAKER_02: And I've had some principles on the roof taking pictures saying to me we never would have imagined a human hug around our school but but every school has a Megan and every school has children that struggle and and I can see the impact of so many schools now that have come to join our our community.
[15:40] SPEAKER_02: And we also have an arts team whereby I used to work in music and some of the artists that I knew we had talked about just that opportunity of getting louder and offering our gifts to these kids who who need us and so we started various community events across pretty well Ontario where we would do theater nights.
[16:06] SPEAKER_02: Artists coming together and singing grave in her opera house we did through the pandemic honks for hope where which was quite a challenging time speaking of what we have been proud of an impact is that through those couple of years we were still able to come together and share our message of hope for these kids they don't get a break.
[16:30] SPEAKER_02: And they need our support even more so through the pandemic Jim Cuddy and his sons speaking of artists put their hands up and along with other artists who came together and the kids came in their cars their family car so it was safe.
[16:48] SPEAKER_02: And they watched the concert and we shared our message we have a school team arts team and we have a community engagement team.
[16:59] SPEAKER_02: So we run various events throughout the calendar year to celebrate our message of hope and we've been it's been amazing we've had various people throughout the country doing various holiday events again food drives spirit days within their community to share our message of hope and and then we've got a communications team where people will be finding avenues and areas of being able to do it.
[17:29] SPEAKER_02: And we're able to share our message and then the impact is it has definitely been global in as I say the fellowship program the the brain tumor research center here in Toronto is the largest in Canada and we have been told by the doctors there that Megan Bebunet Foundation has played a very significant role in growing that we started out with about six or eight principal investigators.
[17:59] SPEAKER_02: And now there's over a hundred and our essence is collaboration I'm a big believer in collaborative research and opportunities to share wisdom and knowledge and and so we're we've given out quite a few c grants that then collect data and much more significant research opportunities from those they're able to apply for clinical type trial
[18:28] SPEAKER_02: and just in the last few years we've been told that we are we've played a very significant role in a new clinical trial that has just come to fruition for sick kids in sunny brook and it's really exciting because it's MRI guided ultrasound that hopes deliver chemotherapy to a very difficult tumor which Megan had DIP.
[18:58] SPEAKER_02: And we've never been able to get this far there's been many clinical trials in very hard to treat brain tumors.
[19:07] SPEAKER_02: And so we need to keep pushing forward but we have played a very significant role in this and the doctors are very excited about what's happening now with this.
[19:16] SPEAKER_02: And again I'm a big believer in collaborative opportunities that the doctors and researchers are quite connected at the BTRC utilizing the tumor bank there and that's something that because of Megan Bebunet Foundation we have supported in purchasing that so that they can for their own data and research collect various samples and use it together.
[19:42] SPEAKER_02: Our theme is bench to bedside so we support the doctors at the big brain tumor research center and then the oncologists at the hospital and I think over the years because we've been able to raise over six million dollars for pediatric brain tumor research.
[20:03] SPEAKER_02: I've put it on the map and and at these hugs the doctors and our team will let the kids shine because I always say Megan and myself are one in the circle and we fill the stage with the kids speaking of impact who would not have been here without us in our efforts.
[20:25] SPEAKER_02: And the power of that is they stand with their families and the only sign they want to say and share is thank you for my life.
[20:35] SPEAKER_02: And it still gives me goosebumps. I'm always one that says bring the children, let them stand united.
[20:45] SPEAKER_02: We are only as strong really as the team and the people that stand beside us.
[20:51] SPEAKER_02: This has never been a memorial for Megan. It's been a global vision from day one. Every children's hospital in the world is getting ready for a hug.
[21:02] SPEAKER_02: Every school can receive a hug community centers and you know with what's going on in the world right now.
[21:10] SPEAKER_02: How sad it would be if we didn't have hope if we didn't push forward I was told in the beginning it was way too big of a feat and a vision.
[21:20] SPEAKER_02: But collectively when we put our hearts and minds to action nothing is impossible.
[21:27] SPEAKER_02: When we stand united we can make change and it can only happen when people's visions are shared, brought to light and
[21:39] SPEAKER_02: and I've always said if you dream big enough something within that sphere will come to fruition and Megan Beppin at foundation is an organization that really embraces all children and their families and their communities and the impact now globally is because we said yes to doing something.
[22:03] SPEAKER_02: Of course it doesn't bring Megan back to me. But as a teacher, as a mom, as a human being, how can I say no to giving these families this opportunity to celebrate their children and to give the doctors the opportunity to collect with minds of from all over the world that want to put the seriousness of brain tumors on the map and work collaboratively together.
[22:33] SPEAKER_02: And we are a good news story of something that has happened because we put our shoulder to the wheel and we included everybody that would be an important part in this circle of hope.
[22:47] SPEAKER_02: And I do believe everyone comes to the surface with their gifts and volunteerism is a precious gift in itself.
[22:55] SPEAKER_02: And if the more we share our gifts with those that need us, not only do they benefit, we benefit because we're sharing what we've come to the years to to live and embracing others, I think is a gift on to itself.
[23:10] SPEAKER_02: So I'm really excited about about the impact of what we've done. We are our school program right now. I'm proud to say that one of the kids that was in our hug in the very beginning, she never knew anybody that had a brain tumor, but she was so impacted by how it changed her life that she's now running our school program.
[23:35] SPEAKER_02: And here in my office, I humbly say we have we have boxes of letters and cards and pictures from kids from all over the world, from teachers, from artists, from doctors, from the countries I mentioned, just saying thanks and testimonials of what's happened in their lives from this human hug.
[24:01] SPEAKER_02: And I just think, you know, those are worth gold because these are people who are able to stand with their families that would not have had their children with them.
[24:15] SPEAKER_02: Unless we stood up and said, let's do something to help those other makings that are waiting.
[24:21] SPEAKER_02: And you know, I've always said to the doctors, people think that people who lose children or people who lose anyone in their life, agree differently. Everybody greaves differently. This is how Denise chose to celebrate or grieve the life of her child.
[24:38] SPEAKER_02: And I remember a doctor saying to me, when you lose a child, it's the tyrannosaurus rex in a human experience of all the different things that have happened in one's life.
[24:50] SPEAKER_02: And people do not deal with it differently. I challenge that. It just looks like they deal with it differently. They're looking for a way to continue on and to celebrate their lives and their other children that are extremely important.
[25:07] SPEAKER_02: And I mean, life's a gift. And I think that's the essence, the gift of what Megan's how gives to people is never to take a day or anybody in your life for granted.
[25:17] SPEAKER_02: As she stands united with those that you love, you remember that it's precious and probably better that we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow.
[25:27] SPEAKER_02: But what we do know today is we can do everything that we can not to sound okay, but just as a reality to embrace our loved ones and our gifts and life itself is just so precious that I think when we stop and really think that we can do an awful lot to help those that are vulnerable and suffer.
[25:52] SPEAKER_02: And especially our children who really are our greatest gifts, then we will see big change.
[26:01] SPEAKER_02: We are seeing big change in our world because of a little seed that started here in Toronto. And that seed is love and hope.
[26:12] SPEAKER_02: And Megan would say I'm one in the circle. It's not about me. It's about humanity. The greatest one of the greatest when you say impact, I just opened a card, a season's greeting card.
[26:26] SPEAKER_02: And this person over in Germany had one child and he had a really hard time carrying on. So he went back home after he lost his daughter.
[26:37] SPEAKER_02: And he decided to tell me everything that's happening now in his community because of Megan's hug, Megan beck and foundation.
[26:46] SPEAKER_02: And he said, what I want to thank you for is that it reminded me of what it truly is humanity at its finest.
[26:56] SPEAKER_02: That was the term that he used for all of us for our human hug. Is that it's humanity at its finest.
[27:04] SPEAKER_00: Stay ahead of the game with our expert tips and strategies that will help your business thrive in a digital era.
[27:11] SPEAKER_00: Canada's podcast dot com subscribe now.
[27:14] SPEAKER_01: How can people who are listening to this who I don't know how they would not be moved by your story and not be not what to get involved because you are very passionate about this.
[27:28] SPEAKER_01: And it is an incredibly important you're doing incredibly important work with this foundation.
[27:37] SPEAKER_01: How can people get involved or what can they do when they listen to this.
[27:44] SPEAKER_02: So Megan beck and foundation dot org gives lots of information about our programs and what we are doing what we have done what we're doing presently our impact.
[27:59] SPEAKER_02: They can follow us on social.
[28:02] SPEAKER_02: And we have as I say the various teams were people who have time and opportunity can come and help out as a volunteer.
[28:11] SPEAKER_02: I'm very grateful and very adamant that again not only are you only as strong as who stands beside you but one of the critical people that stands beside you are your partners.
[28:26] SPEAKER_02: Financial partners.
[28:28] SPEAKER_02: We don't have a lot of hired staff but we are getting there.
[28:34] SPEAKER_02: We're on boarding more people in areas of operations and communications.
[28:40] SPEAKER_02: We've developed a very strong magnificent board of directors and we are starting to on board people who you know is a great a good problem to have is we need help.
[28:52] SPEAKER_02: And so we've been applying for grants and and business sponsorship opportunities and I do believe there's so many companies and people out there.
[29:04] SPEAKER_02: Something who can get back who do have the funds who do have the opportunity and from some of our partners who have joined us.
[29:12] SPEAKER_02: There have been many from companies to banks to independent family foundations.
[29:21] SPEAKER_02: Once they get an idea as you say of the impact and that we indeed are changing the landscape for children with brain tumors and the ramifications we need to remember of any research and childhood cancer are huge.
[29:38] SPEAKER_02: And so there is great gains to be made in signing up with us.
[29:46] SPEAKER_02: So I think there's still a lot of opportunities for now because now we have our own foundation.
[29:54] SPEAKER_02: There are a few new family foundations that are really proud that have joined hands.
[29:58] SPEAKER_02: And as we now grow across Canada, which we are starting to do and down into the states and over into Europe and different parts of the world.
[30:10] SPEAKER_02: Of course, we can't run on love forever with these volunteers, even though it's remarkable.
[30:16] SPEAKER_02: Again, I humbly say for this organization to not only get louder and stronger, but truly say children's lives.
[30:25] SPEAKER_02: Over a 22 year span, the lifespan usually of any event is usually five, six years.
[30:33] SPEAKER_02: But again, this is because everybody needs this hot right now.
[30:38] SPEAKER_02: And again, I humbly say that not just these children.
[30:42] SPEAKER_02: And so there's just there's lots of opportunities to celebrate.
[30:47] SPEAKER_02: There's communities that I've heard back from across our country and a few down into the states that at Christmas time at Hanukkah through through this celebration of holiday time are fundraising and doing their own hugs in their offices in their churches in their synagogues like it's remarkable.
[31:10] SPEAKER_02: The power of this human spirit and how it's translated to different opportunities.
[31:16] SPEAKER_02: So an answer to your question. I think people can take a look at what they can do in their own world in their own community to support us.
[31:26] SPEAKER_02: And I can tell you that the gifts that people have told me come back from their spirit day or their their hug at a corporate level, not just in a school.
[31:38] SPEAKER_02: We were just at a brain tumor research summit in northern Ontario doctors flew in from all around the world.
[31:46] SPEAKER_02: And we launched a campaign. I'm a hunger campaign.
[31:50] SPEAKER_02: And their doctors, researchers, lab assistants, MD students and 108 people stood united wearing a mhugger shirt from different parts of the world.
[32:05] SPEAKER_02: And they it was pretty impactful because they realized that in their own world and families and communities and workshops and companies, they can emanate that that hug and bring it back to their city country.
[32:24] SPEAKER_02: So I guess I encourage people just to think about maybe what they can do to support making that foundation.
[32:35] SPEAKER_01: And thank you for that Denise and there will be a link to the Megan Bebina foundation in the show notes for the episode.
[32:42] SPEAKER_01: And if you're listening, I'm going to spell it quickly. It's me a G a N B E B E N E K foundation or.
[32:51] SPEAKER_01: Please go take a look at it and see how you can get involved.
[32:59] SPEAKER_01: And what you can do to bring a hug into your world in some way shape or form and bring more love into the world in general.
[33:06] SPEAKER_01: Denise, thank you very much for taking the time to share your story and the impact that you are having on the world. It's very inspiring.
[33:16] SPEAKER_01: And I can't thank you enough for doing that today.
[33:19] SPEAKER_02: Well, it's been an honor and pleasure to meet you and speak with you, Celine. And thank you, as I said, when we first met for helping us share our story. It's people like you really that that take the time to learn and listen and then you in sharing, you know, you're also someone that's making this world a better place. So thank you for that.
[33:45] SPEAKER_01: That's incredibly kind of you. Thank you. Thank you. And for those who are listening or watching, thank you for listening to Canada's podcast.
[33:53] SPEAKER_01: Like, comment and subscribe to all our channels to get the latest podcasts from entrepreneurs across Canada.
