The kindness of others rubbed off on Katelyn Clarke and Brittany Pask. Now the sisters and other family members are helping cancer patients through their organization called That Girl’s Got Moxie. “We started this organization after we lost my sister to breast cancer at age 34,” Katelyn says. Krista Pask passed away in December of 2019. During the last year of her life, she was unable to work, but had maintained a blog on her journey. This blog inspired people in the community to reach out, offering kind words, giftcards, and in some cases money to support Krista. “Once she passed, we decided to honour her memory by continuing to help others and began That Girl’s Got Moxie.”
Katelyn works alongside her mom and dad, Terri and Bill Pask, her husband Brad, sister Brittany, uncle Ron Pask and aunt Penny Robson to manage the organization which was named after Krista’s blog. “It’s our hope to alleviate some burdens and give encouragement to patients and their families during their time of treatment.” As the organization receives funds through donations or fundraising, they reach out to people in the community who would benefit from some support. “We see what type of help they need if any, and we help them.” For example, if a person is traveling out of town for treatment, That Girl’s Got Moxie may provide gas or dining gift cards. “Though sometimes we give grocery cards or cards for local restaurants — just a little something to take their mind off their treatment for a while."
Katelyn says everyone who knew Krista was thankful to have her in their life. “She was literally the definition of moxie,” Katelyn says. “If you look up moxie, it is nerve, determination, and courage. She had it all. Through her treatments, she was more worried about if it was hereditary and if Brittany and I carried the gene. She was the strongest person I know.”
Krista’s blogs continue to be an inspiration to individuals and their families as they face a cancer diagnosis. You can find the blog at https://paskkrista.wixsite.com/thatgirlsgotmoxie. Follow That Girl’s Got Moxie on Facebook for more ways to support.
Like many twins, Mel Tiggelaar and Michelle Towner can finish each other's sentences. But if you think just because they are twins they look and do everything alike, you'd be dead wrong. I am four minutes older so I am the bossy one, Mel jokes. We have always been close, but the truth i
Sylvan Learning was founded in 1979 in Portland, Oregon to provide supplemental instruction in reading, writing, math and study skills. The Sarnia location began in 1984 and has been located at the same address all these years, 10...
Born and raised in Sarnia, Dr. Gabriel Ponce was encouraged by his parents to follow in their footsteps and study to become an engineer. Engineering didn't line up with what I enjoyed. I've always been artistic and loved design so I thought about plastic surgery, but after shadowing a few loc
A newspaper clipping from The Book Keeper's grand opening on September 27, 1980 hangs on the wall in Susan Chamberlain's office. The store's history is often front-of-mind for her. The Book Keeper originally opened in Northgate Plaza and has moved to different locations within the plaza throug
Nicole Breyer believes in destiny and is convinced she was meant to own and operate Home & Cottage Interiors in Sarnia. I used to come to the store to buy my paint and I got to know the previous owner, Diane Galvin, Nicole says. On a visit to the shop last fall, Diane shared that she was g
When you ask Executive Director Kerry Henrikson why she believed it was so important to create Pandas/Pans Ontario in 2014, her answer is easy. I didn't want other families to feel isolated and struggle like I did. In 2013, her son and two daughters were all diagnosed with Paediatric Autoimm
The 100 Women Who Care movement started in 2006. Initially, a local philanthropist from Cleveland, Ohio, Karen Dunigan, decided she wanted to raise $10,000 to purchase cribs for young women who could not afford them. She knew she could ask ten friends for $1,000, but decided to try to find 100 women
St. Joseph's Hospice was created in 2005 in the wake of the closing of St. Joseph's Hospital. Since 1944, St. Joseph's had provided healthcare services to Sarnia-Lambton and they wished to continue to do so by meeting an existing gap in end-of-life care to the terminally ill and their families.