French-Canadian, Polish women in cancer gene leap

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Research at Women’s College Hospital has discovered a genetic mutation strongly linked to hereditary breast cancer among two groups of Canadian women — those of French-Canadian and Polish extraction. The cause of this  mutation appears to lie with the so-called founder effect, a dramatic genetic drift that occurs when a new population is created (as in Canada) based on a relatively few individuals known as founders. The Canadian-Polish research team found recurrent mutations in a gene known as RECQL gene among women of Polish descent. Notably, these women did not carry any of the better known breast cancer genes. Researchers also found also that a variation on the RECQL mutation occurred 50 times more frequently among Quebec women with familial breast cancer compared to control subjects. Another RECQL mutation put affected Polish women at a five-fold increased risk for developing breast cancer compared to women without the mutation. While RECQL mutations appear to be quite rare, researchers estimate that up to half of all women who have the mutation will get breast cancer.

 

Woman whacks rioting teen son and sends him home

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A Baltimore mom was trying to tame violence when she realized her son was throwing rocks at police. She was sure to voice her disappointment, as video caught the woman smacking the boy and chasing him when he walked away. The unrest relates a the case of Freddie Gray, a black man who is said to have died in police custody. Rioting has been around looting of liquor stores.

Thomas Elgie house trimmed to 19th century dimensions

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The 19th century part of the Thomas Elgie family home at 262  Bessborough Dr. now stands as a dwelling much as it looked in the 1840s, when it is said to have been built. None of us was around then of course, and the records aren’t very good, but it appears the two storey home with a chimney on the east side and a wing to the south was what the first builder constructed. The recent work has removed an extension said to have been built in the 1970s. The picture on the right seems to be from the 1950s or 60s before the extension was built. A mediated agreement last year permitted the owner and builder, Matthew Garnet, to subdivide the property to place two new homes on Bessborough with the Elgie home sitting on a third lot. From the shape of the remaining historic home it might sit better longitudinally facing Bessborough. The changes over the years are interesting. The original had its front door under a porch on the east side. Along the way that door became a window and had another placed above it. Pioneer homes did not have many windows. There are steel beams lying on the property which will be used to move the structure but that job appears a distance off.  The home has not been underpinned nor is there any foundation waiting for it yet.

Leaside’s CGS will honour Ugandan moms on Mother’s Day

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Scarves are also baby carriers

This is the third in a series of stories about Leaside’s Children’s Garden School by the South Bayview Bulldog 

Among the exciting opportunities established for students at Children’s Garden School is the chance to help in the philanthropic work done for Ugandan children through the charity Children of Hope Uganda. CGS Co-Founder and Principal Marie Bates created The Principal’s Club to give students an introduction to this and other such selfless giving. The Club is a structure within which children learn the meaning of philanthropy and see first hand how small things can make a very big difference.  Throughout the year the students work on a number of projects, generally making things with their own hands to sell and generate funds for the chosen charity. 

The Principal’s Club has helped a number of charities over the years but since 2012 it has maintained a strong partnership with Children of Hope Uganda. Through their hard work and dedication, CGS students have raised enough money to create a playground and equip classrooms with furniture and supplies for their Ugandan counterparts. Through their Principal’s Club experiences, students are encouraged to think outside of themselves and realize that it is part of our humanity to help those less fortunate and more vulnerable than ourselves. The exercise has been a great success and critically forms a moral framework students may take with them into adulthood. 

Club members have been busy thinking about the children in Barlonyo, Uganda for many months now and they wanted to extend their thoughts to the mothers there as well. The Club decided that, instead of the usual separate classroom events for CGS moms, there would be one Mother’s Day Tea and that they would ask CGS moms to donate a colourful scarf for the Ugandan moms. These scarves are deeply valued by Ugandan women for head covering, to carry food and transport babies. The Principal’s Club is making decorations and preparing for the tea over the next few weeks. Everyone is now looking forward to tea, strawberry shortcake and the celebration of motherhood on Friday, May 8, 2015. A final fund-raising event this year for Children of Hope Uganda will be the CGS Lemonade and Cookie Sale in June. The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43.  The CGS website is here.

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Uganda students celebrate new reading material and CGS uniforms

Boy’s fall leaves question about “child-proof” window

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Wallace Passos

The death of three-year-old Wallace Passos yesterday (Sunday, April 26,, 2015) took place as his sister celebrated her 14th birthday with fiends. No one saw the toddler as he went through a window in the living room on the 17th floor  — windows that are supposed to be child proof. There are no balconies on the building. It is not clear just who was home at the time of the accident. A man who is identified by the Toronto Sun told that newspaper that the lad was gone in an instant. Someone cried out that Wallace had fallen. “That was it. It was just all of a sudden like that,” Frank Penner told the Sun. He said party guests ran downstairs calling police on the way. Officers and paramedics responded just after 2 p.m.and made life saving procedures but the boy was dead at hospital.

Wedding ring lost in Atlantic returned to Mississauga man

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Petition begun to limit height of Bayview/Soudan project

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The development on Bayview Ave between Soudan and Hillsdale Aves is much on the minds of residents in both Wards 22 and 26.  An online petition has been started to demand that the so-called Bayview/Soudan development be required to conform to City bylaws, particularly that regarding height. It will be an instructive process as the owners of the property, the Brown Group, calculate the just what they will get from the City’s bottom line on that point. The unknown factor as always is the Ontario Municipal Board. It’s not likely that the rather forlorn properties in question will be left as they are if Brown can make money at five or six storeys. The more likely saw-off might be seven storeys. Meantime, tomorrow night (Tuesday April 28. 2015)  a meeting is scheduled  for discussion of the redevelopment of the Sunnybrook Plaza. That’s at the William Lea room at 7 p.m. Look for a discussion of the wet building grounds, evidence of the creek that still runs under the property.

Girlfriend’s cry of joy: “Oh my God! Faye is okay!”

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The CBC recorded the moment that Kimberly Tran learned her girlfriend Faye Kennedy had mailed her parents to say she was safe amid the calamity of the Nepal earthquake. It is a very moving moment.

Kids’ Fun Day on Mt. Pleasant is Saturday, May 9, 2015

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The Mt. Pleasant Village BIA will hold the first of its 2015 signature days on Saturday May 9, 2015. It’s Kids’ Fun Day running from 11 a.m. to 4.p.m. The BIA says that with more local businesses participating than ever, this year’s Kids’ Fun Day is sure to be the best yet. “Our sidewalks will be bustling with entertainment, activities, games, contests, discounts, giveaways and food so come one, come all to the 3rd Annual Kid’s Fun Day!”  Sound like fun·– Bulldog 

Ellen Lowden is coach and hockey-fashion boss for girls

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Ellen Lowden, a North Toronto hockey mom for girls, is taking to the calling quite seriously.  Mrs. Lowden, 53, of Cranbrooke Ave., was recently chronicled in the Toronto Star for her gumption (with the help of husband Jim) in learning how to become a head coach of her daughter’s hockey team. For Ellen Lowden, that meant learning which end of the rink was which. She was terrified, she told The South Bayview Bulldog. The moment of truth came seven years ago at Leaside Arena and Ellen has not looked back. Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 28,, 2015) she will be overseeing a day-long girls tournament for the Toronto Catholic School Board at Don Montgomery Arena at 2462 Eglinton Ave. E. The event is for girls in grades 5 to 8 and 28 schools have signed up with just under 150 girls skating. It is a volunteer undertaking so it does not cost the players or the schools anything to attend. The games will run back to back starting at 9 a.m. with a championship tilt sometime in the early afternoon. Mrs. Lowden’s growing interest in girls hockey prompted her to start a line of girls hockey dress. She operates under the name Goldiegear, a name chosen to honour her mom, Goldie. It is a fascinating foray into what is so-far a niche market where business is buoyed along by the sheer fun. Goldiegear 
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Bus leaves road, slams into bridge at Albion and Weston

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Bus off the road and under bridge at Albion at Weston ramp

Southbound Weston Rd. was closed W after private bus went off the road and slammed into an Albion Rd. Monday morning. The incident happened around 7 a.m. near the Albion Rd. overpass. The driver of the vehicle was temporarily trapped but was rescued by emergency crews. Michael Bakun Twitter 

Too, too awful as Raptors slink away after 125-94 loss

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