 continued from Welcome page To maintain my own productive mindset, I turned to blogging and eventually podcasting. I wanted to know what makes people resilient in the face of adversity? So I spoke with regular everyday people who created a purpose to help themselves and others. My guests are authors, fundraisers, advocates, teachers, coaches, medical professionals and travel enthusiasts to name just a few. They all turned to a passion to help others after facing their own life-changing challenge. Shortly after losing Adam, my father became seriously ill and needed my support til he passed away in 2023. That same year, my mother was diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma and died one year later. And then in November 2024 the unimaginable happened when my daughter Isobel, who at only 25 years old, suddenly passed away from heart failure while working in Japan. Losing Isobel made me question everything and I've been taking the necessary time to process it all. After facing so much loss and heartbreak over the last eight years, I've had to constantly draw on the tools that helped me til now. I've learned that life can be very unpredictable and sometimes extremely cruel - but its possible to get through it. My life's journey has led me to public speaking bookings, advocacy, advising businesses and researchers as well as peer support. My message revolves around the power of finding purpose, tools for developing a strong mindset and the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive people and habits. I hope that you'll give RESILIENT PEOPLE a listen and will feel inspired. To get started, go to my podcast page and please tell your community about it. 
0 Comments
 Following the recent tragic passing of my daughter Isobel, the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast is on an indefinite pause.
Thank you all for your kind words of condolence, meal drop-offs, flowers, emails, texts, drives and overall support. To learn more about Isobel, please read her obituary here. Her brother Sam and I established The Isobel Fanaki Memorial Fund to help fund the causes that Isobel felt connected to like nature conservancy and education as well as charities managing food insecurities. To date, we have given to the High Park Nature Centre and its Happy Camper Fund as well as to Food Banks Canada. We would like to thank everyone who has generously given to this fundraiser. Your donation means so much. When Isobel and Sam's father had passed away from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, we decided that it was important to focus on something positive that could help others - and in turn this became a way to also help ourselves through a painful time in our lives. Now with the passing of Isobel, Sam and I are doing the same in creating this fundraiser to honour her memory. To make a donation to The Isobel Fanaki Memorial Fund please click here. Thank you.  It is with heavy hearts that we share the unimaginable passing of our Isobel. Only 25 years old and full of life, love, and endless future possibilities.
Isobel was driven by her passions for family, friends, travel, teaching, music, and nature. In all of these ways she has left her mark on the world. While studying Biology at McMaster University, she became a Teaching Assistant and was honoured with publishing her final year thesis on the 'Nesting of local mason bees in empty exotic snail shells'. In response to her father Adam’s illness, she joined Students Advocating for Brain Cancer Research (SABCR) and helped raise money and awareness while serving on the group’s senior executive team. Her love of nature and sweet caring personality led her to roles in the city as well as cottage country as a Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, Camp Counsellor, Educator at Ripley’s Aquarium, and a Teacher with the High Park Nature Centre. Over the last few years, Isobel really embraced visiting different countries while trying exotic foods and experiencing different cultures. From the UK to Spain, eastern Canada and Asia she was always planning another adventure. In March of 2023, she moved to Hiroshima, Japan to work as an Assistant Language Teacher. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she taught herself Japanese and was very excited to begin this next chapter. She made friends with her fellow teachers and delighted in spending time with her elementary and junior high school students, where they grew to love the English language thanks to her creative lessons. Isobel embraced the country’s rich delicacies and customs while also falling in love. Her final trip was to South Korea to reunite with friends. She came back energised and so happy to share her memories of the sites, incredible food, and moments together while singing karaoke. There was so much more for her to do but her time was tragically cut short due to heart failure. She leaves behind her mother Janet; brother Sam; uncles Bill, Joe, Henry and Derek; Aunts Lesia, Lisa, May, Susan, Andie, and Natalie (of Ohio); cousins Alexandra, Mitchell, Ava, Allie, Nicole, Iain, Jack, Audrey, Ashton, and Jihan; her boyfriend Ryoma; treasured dog Ella and many friends around the world. Funeral services were held in Hiroshima and Toronto. Our family has created a memorial fund, which will be used to support the causes she cared about most. Donations can be made here. Thank you to all who have helped us through this most difficult time and continue to support us. “Think of her as a cherry blossom - delicate, beautiful, but with a sadly short season” |