Our Story
We started the Lighthouse Foundation to bring awareness to and help find a cure for MS and Cystic Fibrosis.
It's personal to us.
I (Amber) was diagnosed with relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) in 2016. More than 90,000 Canadians face the challenge of living with MS. A chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, MS disrupts normal life affecting vision, memory, balance and mobility.
And I (TJ) watched my cousin battle Cystic Fibrosis, struggling to breathe as his lungs filled with mucus. Receiving a double lung transplant has changed his life. The medical community is learning more about the disease, but there is still no cure.
We bring our love of family and sports into the foundation, raising money for research, awareness and providing sponsorships for young athletes to play sports.
CF
Why CF
“I just want to help kids like my cousin who are dealing with CF. I want to try to raise awareness for organ donation at the same time because it makes such a big difference in people’s lives.”
TJ's cousin received a double lung transplant which changed his life. With no cure for CF, patients rely on drug therapies to help them cope. New research and the development of new drugs have helped thousands of patients but there is still no cure.
MS
Why MS
"My diagnosis came as a shock and took a little while to accept, set in and cope. I feel we're finally at a good place to share our story and raise awareness and money for MS."
Amber is determined to live a healthy and active life in spite of the ups and downs of MS. Her daily routine is a lot like TJ's, working out keeps her mobile despite the episodic disability of MS.
TJ's inspired by her single-minded resolve. She could have waited for another symptom. But she didn't. She fought back. She changed her diet, started working out and prioritized sleep. "She's determined to be the best version of herself."