Testimonials

“I’m glad the money will be going to help women’s health. If it weren’t for women, I wouldn’t be here.”

- Rehman Lalji, Student

“I started collecting money for charity when I was 7. I’m 15 now, and have raised more than $100,000 over the years for a variety of different organizations: the United Way, the Aga Khan Foundation, Terry Fox.

People don’t think kids like me can raise so much money, but look at me. I’ve been raising money for the Ismaili walk for 7 years. People know me now and give me money. The Ismaili Walk is for a good cause, and I’m taught at religion class on the weekends that charity is important, that it helps better all people.

So for four weeks before the walk, I approached friends, neighbors, and people at our mosque to raise money. I raised $5,015, and I’m glad the money will be going to help women’s health. If it weren’t for women, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m a great supporter of research, and I believe it is the only way you get improvement.”

- Dr. Joanne Douglas, Anesthesiologist

“I feel very committed to BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre. I’ve worked here ever since Women’s was formed in 1982. So I’ve been involved from the start and I feel very strongly about helping make things better. The Ismaili Walk was a great opportunity to raise funds to support the Foundation and the research being done here. I’m a great supporter of research, and I believe it is the only way you get improvement. It tells you whether you are doing a good job and how to do things better. And that’s our aim: to make things better for moms and babies.”
(Raised $9,336.94)

“Having two small children myself has made me realize that women’s healthcare is a cause that needs more attention.”

-Michael Niemeyer, Pilot

“BC Women’s Foundation does some amazing work and I thought the walk was a good way to help a worthy cause. Having two small children myself has made me realize that women’s healthcare is a cause that needs more attention.

I emailed everyone I know to tell them I was doing the Ismaili Walk and I was surprised by the enthusiastic response. When you’re too busy to do something like this yourself, it’s good to support your friends. Plus, it’s a really fun and well-organized event and a great way to spend the day with your family.”
(Raised $285)

“I thought it was my opportunity to give back to my community and my place of work and the amazing work done for my child.”

-Nazma Moosa, RN, Equipment and Supply Coordinator for Neonatal Program, BC Women’s

“I come from the Ismaili community myself and we’re very involved in doing fundraising for civic and global issues. But even more important, I am a neonatal nurse at BC Women’s and I had a child here myself who was pre-term. The kind of care the nurses and doctors provided for my child was unbelievable. Seeing all these tiny babies in the nurseries is heart-wrenching, especially when it’s your own. This experience reinforced how important maternal health is to the well-being of these infants. When women are well taken care of, as they are here at BC Women’s, their babies and their families benefit.

When I heard about the Ismaili Walk, I thought it was my opportunity to give back to my community and my place of work and the amazing work done for my child. Until then, I hadn’t done any fundraising myself. But through my work, I was the recipient of donations that went towards the purchase of life-saving equipment for women and babies. I thought it was time to give back. I canvassed my friends, colleagues and family. Everyone was very generous.

The Walk itself is such a great social and cultural event. It’s a wonderful experience, promoting physical health and bringing everyone together for one cause.”
(Raised $3,342)

“As a woman myself, I believe it’s important to pursue excellence in women’s health around the world.”

-Nabat Muljiani, Retired Business Owner, Galloway’s Specialty Foods

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, fundraising for the Ismaili Walk for 12 years. As a business owner, I don’t have much time to help the local community in other ways. And fundraising is my passion. Over the years, I’ve supported many organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, Simon Fraser University.

I don’t know what it is about me, but people don’t say no and tend to give generously. I approach my friends and family, and I even explain what I’m doing to my customers at my store. Last year, and this year again, the Ismaili Walk is raising money to help newborns and women. As a woman myself, I believe it’s important to pursue excellence in women’s health around the world. The research programs at BC Women’s improve the health of our communities as a whole.

But the Walk is more than fundraising. It’s a community get together, a chance to get to know each other and enjoy the day.”
(Raised $2,675)