Sydney Jo Barrette is shy at first. Surrounded by a bunch of strangers, she tries to hide in the confines of her mother Leslie’s shoulder. However, when the crayons are broken out, she grins widely and puts them to paper like a pro. The adults chat but Sydney Jo is focused on creating her masterpiece. She very carefully picks her colors and not even the lure of hot pizza deters her from her art.

That is until she spots our TomTom chairs. The big red hands call to her and once she gets a few spins in the swivel chairs, the laughs and smiles spill forth. Leslie informs us that Sydney Jo had a chemotherapy injection earlier in the day to treat her acute lymphoblastic leukemia; yet, as she sits in the chairs and yells “Spin!” you wouldn’t know it.

(l to r) TomTom Inc. president Jocelyn Vigreux, Leslie, Sydney Jo, Denis Barrette

The Pedal Partner program has paired this energetic 3-year-old with TomTom’s 2006 Pan Massachusetts Challenge 10-member cycling team. The two day bike-a-thon, now in its 27th year, is a fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. Sydney Jo has been treated at the Institute’s pediatric oncology center since her diagnosis last August. Since then she’s been undergoing treatment and showing excellent progress. Her leukemia has been in remission since October but she still has 15 months of treatment ahead of her.

Sydney Jo is also the inspiration behind Sydney Jo’s Hope Chest, a nonprofit venture that collects donations including books, toys, games, and hats for children of all ages.

The TomTom team is honored to be riding for Sydney Jo and to have her as our inspiration as well.

To learn more about this amazing child and get updates on her progress, register at CarePages and type in ‘SydneyJoWayToGo’
To learn more about Sydney Jo’s Hope Chest, click here
To learn more about the Pan Massachusetts Challenge, click here

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