It鈥檚 a way of turning tragedy into hope.
On both New Year鈥檚 Day and New Year鈥檚 Eve, in the space known as the 鈥榶ellow room,鈥� Sarah Manwaring-Jones will be hosting two yoga classes by donation for a cause that is especially meaningful.
Four years ago, Manwaring-Jones, a yoga teacher and founder of The Yoga Studio in Squamish, became pregnant with her first son, Finn, born in April 2011. Tragically, within five days of his birth, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), which affects the control of muscle movement.
鈥淪adly, there鈥檚 no cure and no treatment,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he biggest piece of work was just supporting Finn to have a beautiful life in whichever way it could be.鈥�
Finn lived for only three months and, during that time, the Palliative Care teams at Canuck Place in Vancouver and Sick Kids in Toronto 鈥� where they spent the last two months of Finn鈥檚 life with family 鈥� were incredible. 鈥淲e were so grateful. The teams鈥� were amazing. They really allowed us to be supported through a time of life when we really needed it,鈥� said Manwaring-Jones.
鈥淲e learned through the time of Finn鈥檚 life how under-supported palliative care is. The people who choose to work in that field are working selflessly in so many ways.鈥�
After Finn鈥檚 death, Manwaring-Jones and her partner Scotty Everett set up the FRE Fund, named after Finn鈥檚 initials, to raise money for pediatric palliative care. So far they鈥檝e raised more than $10,000.
Her by-donation yoga classes will add to that total and are open to everyone. 鈥淭hey will be very accessible classes. If all people want to do is sit or lie on their mat, it鈥檚 really OK. We have some chairs too, so if someone from the older generation wanted to come and sit on a chair, they can be part of the class that way too.鈥� The class on New Year鈥檚 Day in particular will be gentle and meditative.
鈥淧eople can just turn up. There鈥檚 plenty of space. Everything they need is here, they don鈥檛 need to bring anything.鈥�
All donations go directly to the FRE fund to support pediatric palliative care in BC. There will also be tea snacks and door prizes afterwards.
鈥淔inn was our first son and he was such a gift in so many ways,鈥� Manwaring-Jones said. 鈥淭he memory for me is keeping alive the love and the joy that he taught us. I want this event to have an optimistic joy to it. It鈥檚 important to me that we create space for remembering. The remembering can be emotional but that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 not joyful.鈥�
Classes are at The Yoga Studio at 37776 Second Ave., Squamish.
Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. will be morning yoga and meditation
Thursday, Jan. 1 from聽 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. will be: Reflections and Intentions - Yoga for a New Year.
To make a personal donation to the FRE Fund or to donate a door prize, please contact Manwaring-Jones at [email protected].
