OUR HONORARY PRESIDENTS
We are thrilled to have François join us as the official 48-HOUR RIDE Honorary President! He will be by your side during this journey and sharing the news of our exciting event. He will also be with us during the event weekend and will give us the go at the start line.
François has yet to have his wish, but is excited to share updates and take you along on his wish journey.
François, 12
Autoimmune Disorder
I'm still wishing...
At just 3 years old, François is admitted to the intensive care unit for 3 months following a severe pneumonia. It is then that he learns he has an autoimmune disorder. 2 years later, at the age of 5, he undergoes his first operation; a bone marrow transplant. Today, François is happily in remission.
François has always been passionate about science and paleontology. From a very young age, he and his brother Emile have been fascinated by dinosaurs. François wishes to go and learn more about his favorite reptile at Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta.
After years of fighting with his disease, this wish will allow François and his family to move forward, look toward the future and get another step closer to his goal of becoming a paleontologist.
Recently, François took on a personal challenge; he ran his first 10 km during the race weekend in Ottawa.
On the corporate side, we are thrilled to have Nicolas Coulombe (Chief Security Officer at Desjardins) joining François as the official 48-HOUR RIDE Honorary President! He will accompany you throughout the weekend and will be inspiring more corporate leaders to join us along the way.
Nicolas Coulombe, as Chief Security Officer at Desjardins Group, leads information security, the fight against financial crimes and physical security. All together, they form the Desjardins Group Security Office, where more than 1,300 passionate employees look after the interests of our members and clients daily. Nicolas is recognized for his altruism and dedication to causes that are important to him. As a participant in 13 editions of the 48-HOUR RIDE the journeys and inspiring stories of the children have motivated him to return year after yet. Passionate about the foundation’s mission, he is very proud to be the honorary president of this year’s 15th edition.