On 23 February 2022, Patricia Dawn found life had become untenable and chose to make her exit from this world. She was only 41. There are many factors that were at play, in this most tragic turn of events – in an effort to maintain her dignity and her immediate family’s privacy I won’t go into further detail. It’s enough to acknowledge there was deep-seated trauma. 

Patricia lived her life fully, authentically, with a wide open mind and deep curiosity. It was her passion to help people in any way she could, and that passion drove her into the field of nursing. She spent the majority of her career in the trenches of the Downtown East Side as a nurse at InSite, as well as working on other connected projects. 

It has become my passion to make a difference, to honour the spirit of my sister, and continue on the work she did. I do not inhabit the world Patricia did, but I can make a difference in the world I am in. 

It is with that purpose in mind that my siblings and I have created Forever 41. On August 7, 2022, a fundraising motorcycle rally departed from Airdrie, travelled west through some beautiful country roads, circled the city of Calgary and finished with a celebratory picnic at Fish Creek Provincial Park.

We have partnered with the Distress Centre in Calgary and the British Columbia Crisis Centre as our charities-of-choice. Their mission, vision, and values align with ours. We raised a whopping $2141 for Distress Centre.

This was just the beginning. The Forever 41 Memorial Ride is an annual event, and as we think and plan and grow our vision, more events will be forthcoming.