Health and Wellness

Tom Touzel learned one of life's most important lessons, perhaps unintentionally, after deciding several years ago that he would not succumb to bladder cancer, chose to fight it, and won.

Touzel, who lives in Vankleek Hill but travels abroad on a regular basis, said despite having to undergo regular checkups for his health, he lives a relatively fit and active lifestyle - and he feels good.

Mark and Lisa Henderson are no strangers to tragedy.

As owners of Hillcrest Funeral Home in Vankleek Hill, the Hendersons are often called upon to help local individuals and families deal with the death of a loved one. Because they see death on an almost daily basis, the Hendersons never forget that completing all the necessary arrangements of a funeral service is a task most families face only a few times.

Now that we have some snow and the temperatures are feeling more seasonal, Dalkeith is getting ready to celebrate winter with its Winter Carnival.

The carnival is set to run from Friday, January 27 to Sunday, January 29.

The event will kick off with open skating from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by pick-up hockey from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Four-on-four hockey for those 40 and over will begin at 8 p.m. following by music and dancing with Norm Campeau, who will begin playing country western-style music at 9 p.m.

Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino never wanted a large family.

In fact, they both figured the world was already overcrowded and were quite happy with the two sons they were blessed with.

Although they were always well aware that the world was full of needy children, it's doubtful either of them ever imagined they would end up adopting and essentially raising 19 children from 11 countries in the Far East.

Champlain Township Mayor Gary Barton is currently awaiting bypass surgery in a Montreal hospital after suffering a heart trauma last week.

Family members, at his side at the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital over the last few days, said Barton is expected to make a full recovery.

"My mom has been by his side the whole time and it was nice when his episode occurred to have my brother Peter (fireman/paramedic) helping out," said his son, Steve Barton.

Mylène Freeman, the New Democratic Party representative for Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel, was one of several MPs that slammed the federal government for its "lack of action on combating violence against aboriginal women" during a series of debates last month.

The official opposition party said in mid-December the government's report tabled in the House of Commons was "whitewashed," noting the United Nations would be pursuing its investigation into missing and murdered aboriginal women and children.

It certainly wasn't a very merry Christmas for the Hawkesbury Central Food Bank.

After making several pleas to the community and council for assistance, the financially-strapped food bank received another blow over the holiday weekend when thieves broke in to the food bank and made off with food and other valuables.

Susan Baril, the wife of former food bank president René Baril, confirmed the robbery on Monday, December 26 but noted the incident occurred sometime over the last few days.

It's no longer just the pediatricians and the sports physicians.

The words of federal politicians, coaches, league executives and former professional hockey players are joining the chorus of voices calling for a need to address concussions in hockey.

From the NHL to your local junior hockey league, the number of identified concussions is unarguably on the rise - and these injuries are not necessarily the result of a fight or a hit to the head. But whatever the reason, according to those leading the cry for change, something has to be done - now.