When you're as old as I am, it's a wonderful thing to be able to use an event such as a birthday to help other people. In my many years as a professor at the University of Victoria the group of people I admired most were the single parents (mostly mums) who were working, going to school and raising their children. Raising children is challenging for two working parents even if they don't go to school.

A key incident that sticks in my mind, is going to a drop in clinic one day and meeting one of my students with her two boys, one 9-years-old and one 4. Both boys were sick and she told me she was going to have to miss work and school, and could she possibly hand in her term paper the following week. I could just sense the pressure she was under because, whatever she did, she felt she was letting somebody down. Of course I gave her a term paper extension, but I can only imagine how tired she must have been at times.

That day the idea of the bursary formed in my mind. It will go to a single working parent who's the primary care giver for their children. The recipient will be in one of the disciplines within the department of Exercise Sciences, Physical and Health Education.

If you can relate to situations like the one above and feel moved to help, please complete the attached form and send it to the University of Victoria.

   :: Martin

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