My Passion

I started my community service as a member of theDreamteam for Tour de Nortel in 2006 (now known as CN Cycle for CHEO). This was an experience that taught me that there is immeasurable hard work, generosity and commitment that is invested in raising money for children, but the impact on those children is even more so. Finding my voice was difficult, but finding my voice, and making appeals to people via TV appearances, radiothons and making public appearances, made people stop and think and allowed me to help CHEO Foundation and Tour de Nortel raise $557,000.

My community service did not stop. I started fundraising as soon as possible for Sickkids Hospital Foundation and Candlelighters because these two foundations were integral in my return to health (Candlelighters and I). While my individual efforts did not raise half a million dollars, the enjoyment was no less. The success was no less either, because the true success came from the participation of youth in my cause.

As my health got better, my resolve became stronger.  I had decided to utilize my wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation in order to help other families avoid the very real prospect of losing their child because they were unable to find a match. My wish was to make a documentary to educate people about stem cell and bone marrow donation, because it does not cure only cancer, but immune diseases like SCIDS and disorders like sickle cell anemia. Every hour of hard work and each bone marrow drive will have served its purpose if one person has a second chance for life.

Sincerely,

Manasvi Koul

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Biography: Manasvi Koul was born in India in 1992.  Since 1995 she has lived in North American with her parents, Anjali and Vijay.  In 2011, Manasvi graduated from Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, North Carolina.  Positive and full of life, Manasvi currently attends the University of Pennsylvania as a freshman following a dual degree in business and biology. (Roy and Diana Vagelos Program).