Features
Brain tumour surgery survivors raising money for medical research
By MYRON LOVE Not only are Max Erenberg and Josh Lieberman close friends, they also share a terrifying experience. Each has undergone successful surgery for removal of a non-malignant brain tumour.
And they are both dedicated to raising money for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, a 40-year-old organization that provides support, education and information for patients and family members relating to brain tumours and research funding to find better ways to treat the illness.
For Lieberman, 27, the son of Jeff and Robyn Lieberman, his ordeal began in 2016. It was the third week in April, he recalls. “I had just written my last exam and finished my undergraduate degree. I was sitting at home in the evening and started to shake. Next thing I knew, I was having a seizure and, soon after, was on my way to the hospital by ambulance.”
Lieberman was initially assured that it was probably nothing serious. Tests, including a CT scan and MRI, detected a brain tomour.
“It was the scariest news that I had ever received,” he says. “I was afraid that I was going to die.”
He was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma and his surgery was scheduled for May 10.
“I was told that this is a rare condition and unusual for someone my age,”” notes Lieberman who was 21 at the time. “It normally occurs at a younger age.”
The surgery was a success. He says that, after just a month, he felt great and was completely back to normal after three or four months.
Erenberg’s recovery took longer – it was about six months before he felt that he was back to his old self.
In April of last year, the 29-year-old son of David and Rhonda Erenberg woke up one morning with a splitting headache. “I thought it was a migraine,” he recalls. “I determined just to power through it.”
As the week went on however, the pain got worse – with some vomiting as well. His family doctor told him that migraines can linger for some time. Nonetheless, he arranged for a CT scan.
“I was told that there was something there,” Erenberg reports. “The doctors couldn’t tell exactly what it was. They told me they were going to monitor it and sent me home.”
Shortly after, he was admitted to hospital for more tests to rule out anything that may have been life-threatening. After five days in a neurosurgery ward, he was sent home again – the plan being to monitor the condition.
Over the next few weeks, the hockey analyst for the Winnipeg Jets was beginning to feel better. “It was June 2, the morning of the first playoff game between Winnipeg and Montreal,” he recounts. “I was looking forward to going golfing with a friend. When I opened my eyes, the room seemed to be spinning. I shot out of bed. When I got up, the room stopped spinning but I was feeling nauseous.”
He called his doctor and described the symptoms. His doctor told him to get to a hospital right away. Tests showed that the tumour had doubled in size. Surgery was scheduled for the next morning.
“When I opened my eyes in the recovery room, I was overcome with pain,” he recalls. “The surgery was a success. The doctors removed the tumour.
“But the surgery was devastating. Just a walk around the block was enough to tire me out. I have been feeling back to normal only in the last six months.”
There was also the anxiety. It wasn’t until six to eight weeks after the surgery that he got the biopsy results that confirmed that the tumour wasn’t malignant.
Erenberg credits his long time partner – and now fiancée – Mikaela, along with his family and friends for helping him get through his ordeal. Josh Lieberman was among those who stepped up.
Lieberman notes that while the two Gray Academy grads had known each other growing up, their common experience with pilocytic astrocytoma has brought them closer together.
It was Lieberman who suggested to Erenberg that he should consider raising funds in support of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.
“I realized as a result of what I went through that life is short and that I should make the most of it,” says the lawyer with Pitblado Law who was called to the Bar last year. “One way in which I felt that I could give back was by becoming involved with the Foundation. It was a no-brainer (no pun intended). The Foundation doesn’t just focus on one area. The Foundation provides support for those afflicted with brain tumours, education, information and funds for research.”
Lieberman reports that he has raised about $25,000 over the past five years for the Foundation largely through posts on social media where he has told his story.
“I encouraged Max to also raise money for the Foundation. This is a cause that naturally is close to our hearts. I am happy to see how well he is doing.”
Erenberg’s efforts in this regard have been nothing less than phenomenal. In just the last seven weeks, he has raised close to $30,000. “I set an initial goal of $1,000, than $1,500, then $2,000,” he says. “After that, I stopped setting goals. I raised 90% of the money in just the first three weeks.”
Erenberg has raised more money for the Foundation in a shorter period of time than anyone else in Canada and, he says, he couldn’t be happier.
You can read Max and Josh’s stories about their battles with brain tumours respectively athttps://btfc.akaraisin.com/ui/BTW2022/p/maxsbraintumourjourney and https://btfc.akaraisin.com/ui/BTW2022/p/joshlieberman.
Both young men still to have regular check-ups but, hopefully, they will enjoy good health for years to come.
Features
Why Fitness Routines Fall Apart — and How to Rebuild Yours
Every spring, gyms see a flood of hopeful faces. New shoes, fresh playlists, unwavering intentions, by mid-summer? Half of them vanish into the fog of abandoned routines. The story repeats year after year until it starts to feel almost scripted. Why does enthusiasm evaporate? The easy answer involves willpower but that explanation misses the point. Habits don’t fail because people are weak. Life stress, boredom, and monotony ruin routines. Timely lever pulls can change narratives. The hardest part is persevering when motivation wanes.
Mistaking Motivation for Momentum
Most chase that opening surge, the lightning strike of motivation, but then stop searching once enthusiasm fizzles. A scroll through sites like PUR Pharma (pur-pharma.is/) or a glimpse of an influencer’s progress triggers a burst of action: new workout gear ordered, plans scribbled in planners destined for dusty drawers. Yet momentum fades when small setbacks pop up (a late meeting here, rainy weather there). Real progress comes from building systems stronger than any fleeting pep talk. Those who frame fitness as something owed to motivation end up back at square one every time life interrupts, which it always does.
Overcomplicating Everything
It’s tempting to turn wellness into a science fair project with spreadsheets and specialized equipment lined up on day one. This is the allure of complexity disguised as seriousness, a new diet paired with seven types of supplements and four color-coded bottles. Simplicity gets lost in the noise almost instantly. Most successful routines rely on two principles: keep it simple and keep showing up even when everything else is chaos outside those gym walls. Anyone insisting that perfection is required before taking step one has already constructed an excuse not to begin at all.
Forgetting Fun Completely
Who decided exercise must hurt or look like punishment? Somewhere along the line, fun got swapped out for grind culture and “no pain, no gain.” That isn’t just unappealing, it’s unsustainable over months or years. If sessions feel like torture devices borrowed from medieval times, nobody should be surprised when commitment falters fast. Seek activities that actually spark some joy or curiosity, a dance class instead of yet another treadmill session, maybe, or play a pickup game rather than slogging through solo circuits again and again.
Ignoring Recovery (and Reality)
Sleep deprivation, disguised as discipline, fools anyone, except perhaps uncritical Instagram followers. Ignoring recovery turns ambition into tiredness faster than any missed session. Because bodies break without rest, routines must breathe with owners. Cycling, real leisure, and honest self-checks regarding weekly goals build endurance, not continual pushing.
Conclusion
Change rarely arrives by force alone but usually grows quietly from patterns repeated imperfectly over time, even if last month looked nothing like this week so far. Drop the hunt for nonstop inspiration. Instead of breaking behaviors at the first hint of stress or boredom, build habits that last. People who rebuild methodically after every stumble or detour make progress, not those who peak and then fall.
Features
How DIY Auto Repairs Can Help You Cut Costs—Safely
Regular maintenance and minor repairs are the greatest approach for many car drivers to save money without sacrificing dependability. DIY repairs can save you a lot of money over the life of your car since most of the expense is in the labour. DIY helps you learn how things work and notice tiny issues before they become costly ones. Every work requires planning, patience, and safety.
Test Your Talents with Safe Limits
DIY solutions succeed when one is honest about their talents. Wiper blades, air filters, and occupant filters are beginner-friendly. With the correct equipment, intermediate owners can replace brake pads, spark plugs, coolant, and brake fluid. Pressurized fuel, high-voltage hybrids, airbags, and timing components are risky. Only professionals should manage them. Limitations protect you and your car. Drivers trust sources like Parts Avenue to find, install, and schedule manufacturer-approved work.
Set Up a Reliable Workspace and Tools
Good tools pay for themselves quickly. Ratchets, torque wrenches, combination wrenches, heavy jack stands, and wheel chocks are essential. It is advisable to engage specialists for specific tasks. A clean, flat, well-lit, and open space is essential. Please take your time. While working, keep a charged phone nearby to read repair instructions or write torque patterns.
Find the Problem before Replacing the Parts
It may cost more to replace something without diagnosing it. Instead of ideas, start with symptoms. OBD-II readers detect leaks, sounds, and DTCs. Simple tests like voltage, smoke indicating vacuum leaks, pad thickness, and rotor runout might reveal failure. A good analysis saves components, protects surrounding parts, and fosters future trust.
Maintenance That Pays off is Most Crucial
Jobs compensate for time and tools differently. Prioritize returns and maintenance. Change the oil and filter, rotate the tires, evaluate the air pressure, replace low brake fluid, clean the coolant with the right chemicals, and replace belts and filters before they fail. These items extend automotive life, stabilize fuel efficiency, and reduce roadside towing issues that can take months to resolve.
Do as Instructed, Utilize Quality Parts, and Follow Torque Requirements
Understand the service. Set the jacking points, tighten the screws in the appropriate order, and use threadlocker or anti-seize as suggested by the maker. Rotor wear can cause leaks, distortions, or broken threads. Choose components that meet or exceed OEM requirements and fit your car’s VIN, engine code, and manufacturing date. Cheap parts that break easily cost extra.
Test, Record, and Discard Carefully
Safely test the system before patching. Check under the car for drops, bleed the brakes again, and check fluid levels after a short drive. Note torques, parts, miles, and repair date. Photo and document storage for car sales. Properly dispose of oil, filters, coolant, and brake fluid. Controlling hazards protects your community and workplace.
Know When to Seek Professional Help
Self-employed individuals recognize their constraints. If a task is challenging, requires special instruments, or involves safety, consult an expert. Collaboration makes cars safer, cheaper, and more efficient. Selecting, planning, and implementing processes properly improves performance, lowers costs, and ensures safety.
Features
What It Means for Ontario to Be the Most Open iGaming Market in Canada
Ontario is the most open commercial iGaming market in Canada, having been the first province to open up to commercial actors in the online casino and betting space since 2022.
Since gambling laws in Canada are managed on a provincial level, each province has its own legislation.
Before April 4th, 2022, Ontario was similar to any other Canadian province in the iGaming space. The only gaming site regulated in the province was run by government-owned Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, also known as OLG. However, when the market opened up, numerous high-quality gambling companies established themselves in the province, quickly generating substantial revenue. As the largest online gambling market in Canada, it’s now, three years later, also one of the biggest in North America.
The fully regulated commercial market is run under iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. These licensed casinos and online sportsbooks are thus fully legal and safe for players to play at, while at the same time, the open market allows companies to compete and offer different products and platforms as long as they all fit within the requirements set up by the state of Ontario.
This means that Ontarians have a wide choice of licensed sites, whether they’re interested in sports betting, live dealer games, or slots – all with strict consumer-protection rules that keep them safe while exploring the many options. (Source: https://esportsinsider.com/ca/gambling/online-casinos-canada)
There are many benefits to online gaming, especially in a country that’s as sparsely populated as Canada, leaving physical venues often few and far between for those living outside the biggest cities.
Even before Ontario launched its own gambling sites, online gambling had been common among Ontarians. Regulating the market and offering alternatives regulated by the province has often added safer and more controlled options.
Since 85% of Ontarians now play at regulated sites, the initiative of opening up the market seems a clear win in more than one way.
Despite the huge success of the Ontario market, most provinces in Canada haven’t changed much in the iGaming sector in the past few years. Some provinces keep Crown-run monopolies, while others limit activity to a single government-run platform. This often leads Canadians to seek offshore alternatives instead, since the options are so few in their own province.
But 2025 marks an important change. The provinces seem to have noticed that Ontario picked a winning strategy, and Alberta has clearly been taking notes.
While the province of Alberta has previously opted for controlled gambling through one government website, the province is now opening up the commercial online gambling market. The Alberta iGaming Corporation will be in charge of licensing and inspecting actors that operate in the province. This will mean many more options for players, coupled with consumer protection and a high level of safety.
Meanwhile, the Ontario iGaming market continues to prosper, grow, and develop. Now that a second province is following in its footsteps, it seems more likely that other provinces will also start following the trend.