This super-sibling is suiting up!
Lily is a long-time champion for Capes for Kids. Her brother Emery was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was 4. As a sibling of someone with a disability, she knows the importance of having conversations about inclusion and the social barriers kids with disabilities face on a daily basis.
Lily’s a member of The League of Extraordinary Insurance Women, Capes for Kids’ top fundraising team. This year, as she works towards their goal of raising $100,000, Lily reflects on the meaningful experience of wearing her cape.
Why do you wear a cape?
When Emery was diagnosed, I was six, so I was too young to really understand what was happening, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t feel the weight of his diagnosis. Seeing someone you love, in my case, my little brother Emery, face the kind of adversity that a disability like Duchenne entails is one of the hardest things in the world. Despite that adversity, Emery treats every day like the best of the best. He’s just such a fun and happy kid, and Holland Bloorview most certainly plays a part in that.
Being involved in Capes through the League is my way of being there for Emery and kids like him in ways I maybe can’t be on a daily basis. Wearing our Capes is a way of putting us in kids like Emery’s shoes. When you use a mobility device, you get stares a lot of the time; when you have a visible disability, you get stares, and you also sometimes get questions. Wearing our bright red capes spreads so much awareness through the stares and questions that we get.
What is Capes for Kids and why is it unique?
Capes for Kids provides a way for people who may not be directly associated with Holland Bloorview to not only get involved but also to get passionate. When you see how people are positively affected by everything Holland Bloorview does, you can’t help but want to get involved
My mom has always said it takes a village, and it really does. Capes for Kids feels like a bunch of villages getting together. And as I grow up, I understand why creating, building, and fostering these villages is so important. I joined the League of Extraordinary Insurance Women when I was 12 to support something my mom and family have been passionate about for years.
How does your team rally together?
From January to March, the league eats, drinks, talks, and we laugh. Getting together reminds us of the community we have fostered, even if it’s over a Zoom call. This year, the league launch over Zoom and one after another people shared their various inspirations. I learned that we all had the same goal: to raise more money than last year and have fun doing it.