Michael Ducharme

These are my paternal grandparents, Wilfred and Theresa. Gramps was a tough worker, but an old softie at home, letting my father get away with frequent mischief with at most an empty threat to take away his car keys. But my grandmother was a lot more strict. She insisted on cultivating a certain set of core values that were inaliable. Gramma died of leukemia when I was two years old, but I can still remember her rocking in her chair. When I learned the name of the condition that claimed her life, I secretly vowed to find a solution, for leukemia and all cancers for that matter. Now, more than three decades later, Gramma’s wisdom continues to shine as brightly as any star. I have found several possible solutions for cancer, although it will take perhaps a couple more decades for all of the testing that is required to share this with the entire world. But Grandma’s core values are not so far away. These, I enjoy on an a daily basis. She taught us that money could never buy class, and that the most important skill is that of making others feel comfortable (the very definition of class, I reckon). She also taught us to love family first, which was not an invitation to stop there. Gramma took excellent care of her own family, and both of my grandparents were extremely active in helping the community. The “family-first” theory was a lesson on practicality. And logistically, this concept makes a lot more sense than any other system. It sounds so simple, but if everyone did this, the world would be much sweeter. Just like Gramma’s Apple Pie.