ANDERSON, Vanessa Lynn Wiley

  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

  Events

• Nichole's Announcement. It is with deepest regret to inform you of Vanessa's passing after a battle with cancer. She died peacefully surrounded by family and friends at Princess Margaret Hospital in the city she loved, early Wednesday morning. There will be a very small private funeral for family and a memorial service in a month's time at which all her friends past and present are invited to celebrate her life, the date for which will be announced soon.

• Nichole's Eulogy: Nichole Anderson's Eulogy for her sister Vanessa, Oct 16, 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"

• Edward's Eulogy: Edward Anderson Remberance for his Daughter Vanessa, Oct 16, 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

December 22, 2014: I am remembering you today Vanessa and am recording my visit this year to the patio garden at Princess Margaret Hospital Toronto where we spent time during the last days of your life. Love 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.

• Tribute by Stephanie Drake. I am an old hockey teammate of Vanessa's. The sad news of her passing went to an old email address and I only found out when I went to her profile yesterday. Though I was in touch with her this past spring, I did not know Ness had even been ill. My fondest memories of Ness are playing the guitar with her. She sat on the floor of my parent's living room with me and patiently taught me many songs. She was much better at playing the guitar than I was, but she was happy to just sit and enjoy the music with me, and never made me feel as though, for example, my total inability to do the finger picking part of "blackbird" detracted from her enjoyment of the time we spent together. I already always thought of Ness when I heard that song, and when I saw sailboats for that matter, which happens a lot because I live in Vancouver. Now I'll think of her even more, and remember her for the luminous person she was.

• Award of MBA by University of Liverpool: Award of Degree towards MBA. The University of Liverpool awarded the degree of Bachelor of Business Authority posthumously and a copy of which is depicted here. Vanessa had completed all the coursework and was working on her MBA dissertation when she died 2011

• Vanessa MBA Certificate: Photo.