our board
- Raising $1.5-million per year to support a thriving Cassie + Friends community in every pediatric rheumatic disease centre in Canada
- Advancing our vision of a pain-free future for kids with $500,000 contributed annually to research
- The leader of advocacy and a first-point of information, support and connection for children, youth and families affected by pediatric rheumatic diseases
David Porte, Chair
Cassie + Friends was established after David Porte, a Vancouver father of two, registered for the Scotiabank Charity Challenge 5km run on June 24, 2007. His then two-year-old daughter, Cassie, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis in September 2006 and David was looking for a way that he could make a difference in the lives of children living with this chronic disease. He saw an advertisement for the Scotiabank run and then wrote to his friends and contacts, shocking many of them with the news that his little girl had arthritis, a disease that most people associate with seniors. The response to his appeal was immediate and overwhelming. Within weeks, he raised over $40,000 – and has not stopped running toward a better life for children and families affected by arthritis since then. David has dedicated extraordinary time, commitment and personal resources to provide financial, educational, social and emotional support to kids and their families.
In addition to his dedication to Cassie + Friends, David owns and runs a real estate development company in Vancouver, BC.
Sonya Galbraith, Vice Chair
Sonya discovered Cassie + Friends in 2016 shortly after her third child, Nicholas, was diagnosed with JIA as an infant. In the years that followed Sonya and her husband, Scott, were actively involved in bringing awareness and support for families affected by childhood rheumatic diseases in Southwestern Ontario as the Cassie + Friends Parent Leaders for the Hamilton area, working with the Rheumatology Team at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
After completing her formal education at the Richard Ivey School of Business, Sonya spent the next decade working for a Fortune 500 company in finance and operations before choosing to focus on her young family and her son’s chronic diagnosis. Nicholas, now 5, continues ongoing treatments but is an active child who loves swimming, riding his bike and keeping up with his two big sisters.
Sonya is thrilled to be a part of the Cassie + Friends Board and for the future vision of the organization.
Dr. Lori Tucker, Medical Advisor
Dr. Deborah Levy, Medical Advisor
Dr. Deborah Levy is the Clinical Director, Division of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Sick Children (“SickKids”) in Toronto and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Levy’s interests are broad; however, she is co-director of the Lupus Clinic at SickKids and her research primarily focuses on the long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes of childhood-onset Lupus. She has participated as a collaborator on multiple research projects through CAPRI.
Dr. Levy is also interested in alternate models of care for children with arthritis and is working with advanced practitioners to develop a new network of pediatric rheumatology providers for children in underserved communities within Ontario. Advocacy work as the past Chair of the Pediatric Committee of the Canadian Rheumatology Association and as President-Elect of the Ontario Rheumatology Association has helped to improve access to drugs for pediatric rheumatology patients. She is excited to have recently joined the Board of Cassie + Friends after several years of working together to promote increased awareness and education of childhood rheumatic diseases through C+F Programs. Dr. Levy has lived, trained and worked in both the US and Canada.
Tony Kim, Treasurer
Tony first came across Cassie + Friends in 2019 after his daughter was diagnosed with JIA at the age of three years old. In a short period of time after diagnosis, his daughter developed uveitis. Looking for a community and support network his family found Cassie + Friends to be a tremendous resource.
Darren Hawrish, Director at Large
Darren Hawrish is a Vancouver-based Business Developer and Entrepreneur with an incredible eye for opportunity. Since starting his own distribution business in 1993 he has owned and operated some of North America’s top clothing brands including local favorites SAXX underwear, Native Shoes, and now BN3TH underwear. He finds opportunities with unique value propositions then utilizes his experience to support and unlock the potential of the passionate people he works with that make it all happen. He is proud to have helped over 350 people develop their careers, from entry level employees to founders and CEOs.
In 2004 Darren was chosen by KPMG as one of Canada’s Top 40 Entrepreneurs and became a member of the Young Presidents Organization in 2007. At home, he is surrounded and supported by his family including his beautiful wife, Suzana, an incredible young adult daughter, Hillary, two amazing teenage boys, Dean and Luke, and two brilliant young daughters, Scarlett and Eva.
“My engagement with Cassie + Friends actually began a few years before my daughter Scarlett was diagnosed at age 6 (now 10). As part of the Young Presidents Organization, I met and became very close to David Porte (also a member) and his family, including Cassie, and their amazing endeavours. When Scarlett was diagnosed, it was very hard on my wife and I, but through this friendship with David, we were so lucky to have already learned about JIA and the amazing support available through Cassie + Friends. I can’t imagine how tough it would have been like going through this experience without the foundation and its members. I hope no one else needs to go through the experience alone. I am so very excited and grateful to be joining the board and to put my experience and time towards helping Cassie + Friends do its part to find a cure while at the same time supporting families the way my family was supported… and is still.”
Allison Brennan, PHD, Patient Advisor
Allison lives in Vancouver, BC where she works for Mitacs to support industrial and social innovation through partnerships between academia, industry, and community. Originally trained as a researcher, Allison earned a PhD in Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 2014 and conducted postdoctoral research at Simon Fraser University until 2016.
Allison grew up in Halifax where she was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at age 12. While arthritis shapes her tenacity, it does not dictate her life. Allison attended the University of Virginia as a full scholarship athlete in rowing where she won an NCAA Division 1 title in 2005. She moved to Vancouver in 2008 where she enjoys running, hiking, and x-country skiing while approaching the challenges of arthritis openly and with a good sense of humour. Allison is an active arthritis advocate and has collaborated with Arthritis Research Canada, participated in the BC Children’s Hospital LEAP study, and attended Canadian Rheumatology Association annual meetings. She is pleased to contribute to the Cassie + Friends board to help shape the future for families in the juvenile arthritis community.
It’s really tough to have a child with a difficult disease. There’s a real sense of being alone. We started Cassie + Friends to bring families together, to make sure they get the support they need and even to show them how they’re thriving.
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