ANDERSON, Vanessa Lynn Wiley

   Cause of her death was Colon Cancer.

  General Notes:

Vanessa was very active in the disabled community -
She mangaged operations at Queens Quay Disabled Sailing Association
She established the City of Toronto Sledge Hockey Program in 2006

  Medical Notes:

Vanessa Lynn Anderson 1981-2011
Our dearest Vanessa died early this morning September 21, 2011, now in peace after a painful battle with cancer. I was fortunate to be at my darling daughter's side.
Vanessa's Father Edward Anderson

  Noted events in her life were:

• Eulogy: Nichole Anderson's Eulogy for her sister Vanessa, 16 Oct 2011, Toronto Ontario Canada. Vanessa's sister Nichole presented this eulogy at her Remembrance Service held in Toronto 16 October 2011

"I think Vanessa would have been so moved by her tribute on Sunday. It is hard to believe how much she was able to accomplish during her 30 short years. The Toronto Children's Chorus Alumni gathered in full force to sing in her memory, with Jean Ashworth Bartle conducting and Ruth Watson Henderson at the piano. The alumni choir, her dear friends, sang Gabriel Faure's Requiem, Bach's Bist du Bei Mir and Vivaldi's Gloria. At the close of the ceremonies, the choir came back to sing the piece Vanessa said she wanted me to play for people to help her say goodbye.

Vanessa had wanted to say goodbye properly, but the cancer caught her off guard and she lost her voice. She told me she wanted us to play "Climb every mountain" from the Sound of Music to say goodbye for her and to remember her by. We did so much more than play that song for her,... we absolutely filled that room with her song with forty voices singing with full hearts! I will cherish the moment of singing her song, with the full force of our choir friends behind me, behind her, with memories of her infusing every note. For that I am truly grateful and know that Vanessa would have been so moved, as was I. Thank all of you who came out to sing for Ness, for your love and support. Thank you to all of you who sent flowers. Thank you to her friends at the city for planting a tree in her honour. All these gestures of love mean so much to us, and to Ness as well. I just wish she could have seen and heard this for herself. You are all so wonderful. May you all climb every mountain. love Nichole"

• Eulogy: Edward Anderson Remberance for his Daughter Vanessa, 16 Oct 2011, Toronto Ontario Canada. October 16, 2011 UFT Club, Toronto Vanessa Anderson Memorial
I bought along this bamboo plant because it reminds us of Vanessa's African roots and how close she ...was to nature (including wild elephants). It is a plant that was with Vanessa from the day of her diagnosis on every hospital stay and it was a plant that was the last to leave her and her hospital room with me. The bamboo reminds me too of the dedication of two of Vanessa's very special friends Sharran Wong (a ICU nurse) and Michele Luna (a doctor) who helped Vanessa in her last days.
Now as Vanessa's dad anything I would say about her today would be hugely biased so I think it best that I keep quiet on the subject. However, just to be part of this diverse close gathering of you \endash Vanessa's friends and colleagues \endash is pretty confirmatory of what I would have said and immensely heartwarming. Your presence here is what Vanessa would cherish greatly - nothing more, nothing less.
This may be the last venue for this faithful beautiful bamboo plant but it is not the end and Vanessa's memory lives on.
Thank you all.
Vanessa's Dad

• Studied in England: Completed all the coursework for MBA at University of Liverpool, 2011, Toronto Ontario Canada. Vanessa's studied her MBA completing coursework even during her illness. She was starting the final dissertation of the final year when she died

• School: B.Sc Major in Physics and Biochemistry University of Toronto, 2004, Toronto Ontario Canada.