It's a busy time -- and we love it

Finishing touches are being added everyday to the new Cancer Survivorship Centre. This week, workers are installing a water feature in the McGarry Family atrium. The water feature was designed by Nicholas Bott, owner of the Pond Clinic and the man behind the Ottawa Water Garden Festival. 
The water feature will include a digital inlay that will highlight the thousands of supporters of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and the Maplesoft Centre. A camera will be mounted on the wall across from the fountain and project the names onto the water feature. Very cool!

The equipment has arrived for the Snoezelen Room -- a very cool multi-sensory environment that involves stimulating all the senses and designed for multiple education and therapy purposes.Snoezelen has been used for those with dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, intellectual or mental disabilities or to boost relaxation and creativity. Snoezelen has also been used to treat chronic pain and chemo fog. We look forward to having the equipment up and running now that it's arrived at the Centre.

But the Maplesoft Centre is not the only place where the action is happening. The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation has a tent set up at this year's Capital Hoedown, one of the country's biggest country music festivals. The festival runs from August 11 to 13 and features headliners Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert. The Cancer Foundation is raffling off a guitar signed by all the artists at this year's festival.

We are also gearing up for this year's edition of The Grape Stomp. This is a shout out to register your team for the Grape Stomp as soon as possible.  It's a unique team relay race that's easy, fun and raises funds for cancer research that is being conducted in our very own community. The Grape Stomp is one of the culminating events that is part of La Vendemmia -- a celebration of Italian food, wine and culture. It's a classic fall event in Ottawa and takes place on the new and improved Preston Street -- free of construction and looking better then ever. Remember to register your team.

There is lots more coming up so stay tuned!